Space, Time and Magic: Book 1
by XxFullMoonHalfMoonxX
Summary: When Hermione visit's her Aunt and cousin for Christmas, she expected a quiet holiday. What she never expected was the Doctor to literally crash into it, let alone find her soulmate in him. Will she survive travelling with him and a jealous Rose? (10th Doctor/Hermione) Rose bashing. First Book in Space, Time and Magic. Complete.
1. Prologue: Father's Day

**AN: This is my first ever fanfiction. I'm writing it for fun, but writing is a hobby and something I would like to do for real. So I thought I'd practice writing fanfics. If you like this story, brilliant. If you don't then stop reading it, simple. Reviews are appreciated, but be warned I will ignore you if it's rude or insulting. I apologise for any spelling or grammar mistakes. If you see any please let me know and i will correct them. Thank you.**

**If you're a Rose fan and don't like her being bashed. Then this story isn't for you. But for future reference i will eventually write one with her being bashed. I used to like Rose, but the she just changed in season two. She just went downhill and I didn't like how she treated certain people or handled certain situations.**

**This story will be slightly AU at times and there will be an original chapter because i haven't written the _Love and Monsters_ episode and I apologise if any of the characters turn to OOC, I'm still getting the hang of things.**

**I don't own Harry Potter or Doctor Who.**

* * *

**Prologue – Father's Day**

8 year old Hermione Granger was sat in the back of her parent's car with her Aunt and baby cousin. They were on the way to a friend of her mother's and Aunts wedding. She didn't really want to be there, she would have preferred staying at home in her room reading. But she had to be there, she was just happy her best friend Mickey was going to be there. He was the only one who treated her normally. He didn't find the weird things she could do as freakish, he found them amazing and always asked her to show him more.

The car pulled up to the church and Hermione waited for her dad to open the car door so she could get out. She knew she could do it herself, but she's not allowed to do the weird things today. Once she was out she smiled at her Aunt Sarah, who was her mother's friend.

"I'm here, stop your belly-aching. Take Rose a sec, will ya?" Jackie said as she stood behind Hermione. She handed her friend Bev a carry-tot, with Hermione's cousin Rose inside.

"Oh, in't she pretty? You to Hermione." Bev said.

"She's a little madam, that's what she is." Jackie said as she made her way to the church gate with Bev and Hermione's parents. "Oh, I need more hands. Where's her useless article of a dad got to?" Jackie then turned to her sister-in-law "Where's that brother of yours?"

"Who knows?" Jean Granger replied "Maybe he's come up with a new invention."

Hermione smiled at that, she liked it when her Uncle Pete came up with inventions. He always showed her what he had managed to make and how he did it. She smiled wider when she saw her Uncle's car pull up. She turned round and tapped her Aunt Jackie and pointed to the car with a smile.

"He's here." Jackie said and started to head towards him with Hermione running after her. "Oh, wonderful. Here he is, the accident waiting to happen. You'd be late for your own funeral and it nearly was!" Jackie was glad Hermione missed the car nearly hitting Pete.

"Uncle Pete!" Hermione exclaimed and Pete grinned picking her up.

"No damage done." Pete said as he tickled Hermione making her giggle before he placed her back down. Hermione glanced at the blonde girl beside her Uncle and frowned at the nasty look she was receiving. She wasn't stupid she knew what the girl was feeling by the look she was jealous, but Hermione didn't know why.

Jackie looked disdainfully at the blond girl stood with her husband and didn't appreciate the look she was sending her niece "And who's this?" the girl just simply stared at her. "What're you looking at with your mouth open?"

"Your hair." The girl said.

"What?!"

"I've never seen it like..." Jackie stared at her, looking both confused and insulted. "I mean...its lovely, your hair's lovely. And that baby you're holding..." the girl said looking at baby Rose. Jackie glanced at Pete, holding the baby to her protectively, completely nonplussed, and also pulling Hermione close to her. "That would be...your baby..."

"Another one of yours, is she?" Jackie said to Pete.

"She saved my life!" Pete exclaimed.

"Oh, that's a new one! What was it last time?" Jackie started. Hermione slowly pulled away from her Aunt, remembering her mum said about if Aunt Jackie and Uncle Pete started arguing to go somewhere else. Which is what she did, she walked towards her mum and dad who were stood talking to her Aunt Sarah.

"Who's that with your Uncle Pete Sweetheart?" her mum asked her.

"Dunno." Hermione answered. Hermione's gaze was pulled to her best friend running towards her.

"Monsters! Coming to eat us!" Mickey said as he grabbed Hermione's hand wanting to save his best friend.

"What sort of monsters, sweetheart? Is it aliens?" a woman asked as she laughed with her friends. Mickey just ignored everyone wanting to get his friend safe and dragged her into the church.

"Mickey? What's wrong?" Hermione asked frowning.

"Monsters!" was all he said before people came into the church screaming. Hermione watched shadows pass the window as a strange man started speaking.

"They can't get in. Old windows and doors, okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else?" Hermione jumped at the screech that she heard "Go and check the other doors! Move!" He ran and pushed against a wooden door in the side of the church.

Hermione made her way over to her parents and Uncle Pete as her Aunt Jackie went to talk to the man. She stared down at baby Rose and covered her more with the blanket she had.

"Don't worry Rose, you'll be okay. Daddy and Uncle Pete will look after you." Hermione told the baby and grabbed her hand.

Rose watched Hermione with baby her. She felt bad for the look she had sent her when her dad had picked Hermione up. It hurt to know that her cousin Hermione had spent so much time with her dad and she had literally none. But she remembered the stories that Hermione told her and now she couldn't wait to be raised by the Pete Tyler her cousin had told her about.

The call of "But someone must call the police!" brought everyone's attention to the strange man.

"Police can't help you now. No-one can." The man said "Nothing in this Universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilise the wound." Hermione watched as the man looked to the blonde woman near her Uncle Pete "By consuming everything in sight."

"Is this because..." the girl said shakily. The man just looked at her "Is this my fault?" she received no answer, only a look.

Hermione frowned at the girl and tugged her sleeve to get her attention "Uncle Pete and Dad will keep you safe too." She said before she walked over to Mickey to make sure her friend was okay.

oOo

Hermione was still sat with Mickey when she gathered the courage to talk to the strange man. She walked over to him when he had finished speaking with her Aunt Sarah and Uncle Stuart. She tugged at his jacket and smiled politely when he looked down at her.

"My names Hermione Jean Granger." She said.

"Hello, Hermione Jean Granger." The man smiled "I'm the Doctor."

"Is this my fault?"

The Doctor frowned as he bent down to her level "Why would you think that?"

Hermione looked to see where her parents were before she turned back to the man "I can do weird things." She whispered to him.

"Oh? Like what?" he whispered back.

"I can make my teddy dance by itself. Make the books on the highest shelve float down to me and change the colours of things. I can sometimes disappear and reappear and throw people away when I'm angry."

The Doctor frowned thinking if he had heard of this before. Then he smiled, she was a witch. He had met a few before when the TARDIS had landed in a magical alley. He was lucky that the magic in these witches and wizards were similar to the Eye of Harmony. "No little one, this isn't your fault."

Hermione beamed and watched as the Doctor continued to make the church safe. "Do you need help?"

"Can you make sure that door over there is locked." He asked her with a smile.

Hermione nodded before she ran to the door and tried the handle to open it. When she was happy it wouldn't open she returned to the Doctor to see her Aunt Jackie talking to him.

"Hermione." Jackie breathed in relief, she couldn't find the girl with Mickey and had worried. "Will you stay with this man and Rose?"

"Yes, Aunt Jackie." Hermione replied. Jackie smiled before leaving to find her sister-in-law and Mickey.

"So your Rose's cousin?" the Doctor asked as he stared down at baby Rose.

"Yeah, my Uncle Pete is Mummy's big brother." Hermione said as she checked on Rose. They were quiet for a while before Hermione decided to try and make friends with the nice and interesting man "Do you like reading?" she asked.

"Yes I do. I have a library filled with books." He replied.

Hermione's eyes widened with glee "Really? I'm reading big girl books now."

"You must be really smart then."

Hermione nodded with a smile "Will you be my new friend?"

"Why not?" the doctor smiled.

"You can't be my best friend though, that's Mickey." She said.

The Doctor just rolled his eyes wondering how the idiot made friends with this smart girl before he looked down at baby Rose again "Now, Rose...you're not gonna bring about the end of the world, are you?" he looked at the baby sternly making Hermione giggle "Are you?"

The blonde girl from before came up next to Hermione and smiled "Your friend Mickey is looking for you." She told Hermione.

"Okay." She smiled and waved bye to the Doctor before she went to find Mickey. She smiled more when she saw her Uncle Pete. "Uncle Pete!" she exclaimed as she ran up to him. "I made a new friend and helped to make sure everyone was safe." She smiled.

"Well that's my brave Hermione." Pete smiled.

Hermione waved at him before she moved over to Mickey and told him about her new friend and how she helped keep people safe. Her attention was pulled when she saw the Doctor stood at the front of the church.

The Doctor held up a key "The inside of my ship was thrown out of a wound but we can use this to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?"

"This one big enough?" Hermione's Uncle Stuart asked as he held up his dad's phone.

"Fantastic." The Doctor grinned.

"Good old dad." Stuart said as he handed the phone to the Doctor "There you go."

"Just need to do a bit of charging up..." Hermione looked curiously at the strange device the Doctor pressed to the phone "And then we can bring everyone back." He glanced around the church as he charges the battery up. He smiled when Hermione waved at him from where she was sat with Mickey.

Hermione watched as the Doctor held the key up in thin air before it stayed in place. It was like he could do what she could. She watched as a blue police box started to appear in front of the Doctor. "Right, no-one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap. Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah, you're gonna get married, just like I said." He grinned encouragingly at them.

Hermione got up and walked over to him "What is it?" she asked looking at the box.

"She's the TARDIS." He said before he grabbed her hand and handed her over to the woman who she looked exactly like before he headed to the back of the church and Rose.

oOo

Hermione sat sobbing as she remember what had just happened to her new friend and then her Uncle Pete. One minute she had been sat talking to her mum when a big scary bat looking creature appeared and then ate the Doctor. She was upset that her new friend was gone and she didn't get to say goodbye. Then her Uncle Pete was running from the church and had got hit by a car. She didn't know why he had said goodbye and to be good until that moment.

"Hermione?" she heard a voice called. She looked up and gasped at seeing her new friend safe. She ran to the Doctor and hugged him as he hugged her back. "Everything will get better."

"But Uncle Pete's gone." Hermione managed out.

"I know, but you have to be strong, for your mum and Aunt Jackie and especially Rose."

Hermione nodded "I'll tell her all about Uncle Pete."

"That's a good girl. Now why don't you find your mum, yeah." The Doctor said releasing her.

"Will I see you again?" she asked.

"Maybe." He smiled before he left to get Rose back to the TARDIS. He felt sad that the girl will now forget him, but maybe he'll see the grown up version of her when Rose ends up visiting her mother.

Hermione watched the Doctor leave before she left to find her mum. She promised herself that she will make sure Rose grew up to know how amazing Uncle Pete was and she also promised to keep an eye out for the Doctor and his blue box.


	2. Chapter 1: The Christmas Invasion

**Chapter 1: The Christmas Invasion**

27 year old Hermione walked along the empty street towards the Powell Estate. She was visiting her Aunt Jackie for Christmas like she did every year since the Second Wizarding War ended. Her parents were gone, they had been killed a few weeks after they had made it to Australia. Voldemort had sent a few Death Eaters after them to prove that distance couldn't even stop him.

Her Aunt Jackie had been heartbroken when Hermione had told her. She didn't know the truth about magic, so Jackie believed that Hermione's parents died on holiday in a car accident. She had been thankful that she had never told anyone about her Aunt and cousin because that was what kept them safe during the war.

The other reason she visited her Aunt at Christmas was because she was no longer welcome by Molly and Ronald at the Weasley Christmas. She had gone willingly into a relationship with Ron and it had been rocky at the start as he grieved for Fred's death and she her parents. Once he had accepted Fred's death, things had been fine. He still had moments of sadness, but then he would pull out of it and be his normal self.

Things started to get rocky again when Hermione stated that she wanted to finish her schooling so she could find a job and start living the life she wanted. Ron hadn't been happy that Hermione wanted to spend time away from their relationship so she could eventually work. He had stated that when she became his wife she wouldn't be working. That led to the first Christmas being spent with her Aunt Jackie and Rose. Ron hadn't been happy about that and had told her once she was his wife, she'd have to cut all ties from the muggle world. Hermione wouldn't have any of it and had told him so.

That was when Molly got involved and had gone into a rant about how Hermione will have to be a good wife and listen and obey her husband. Hermione had broken up with Ron then and there and when Molly had gone to curse her for breaking 'Ronnikins' heart, she had sent one back. Arthur had apologised for both his wife and son and George had pranked Ron, thankful for the distraction from Fred. Ginny had given Ronald and earful saying did he expect Harry to keep her home as a housewife.

Hermione had gotten out of there and had never returned to the Burrow. She still saw the Weasley's bar Molly and Ron. They all met up at least once a month and then once between Christmas and New Year.

Hermione smiled as she finally came to the Powell Estate and walked up the stairs to her Aunts flat. Hermione had made sure her Aunt and Rose lived happy lives since her Uncle died and when Rose started to mature she recognised her from the day her Uncle died as the strange blonde woman that was with the Doctor. It appeared that only she remembered that day as it had been and her parents had pegged the Doctor down as an imaginary friend.

When Hermione had received a call a year ago about Rose being missing from her Aunt Jackie and that she was blaming Mickey, Hermione had called and managed to get the information out of him. Rose was with the Doctor. She then was told by Mickey that she had returned, was involved with the explosion at 10 Downing Street and that she was once again travelling through time. Hermione smiled at that remembering the time travel she did in her third year and wondered if it was the Doctors TARDIS that allowed him to travel through time. Hermione reached her Aunts door and knocked on it.

"Hermione!" Jackie called when she saw her niece on her doorstep. "Come in! How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" she asked as she stepped past the threshold "Will Rose be here?" Hermione smiled at the Christmas decoration boxes around the room "It's a little late to put decorations up isn't it?"

"I'm good. No idea if Rose will be here and I forgot." Jackie listed off.

"Would you like some help?" Hermione asked indicating to the bare white Christmas tree.

"Please." Jackie said as she went to the kitchen to make Hermione some tea. "How's work?" Jackie asked when she returned.

"Good and quiet, at the moment." Hermione replied.

Hermione had been offered a job by Kingsley in a new department when she was a liaison officer with the muggle government. She was also sometimes sent to unexplainable events in the muggle world. She was on call for anything and she had even become a liaison officer with UNIT after the 10 Downing Street incident. When Harriet Jones had told her about the Doctor and Rose she had just been thankful the two were safe.

"That's good ain't it?" Jackie said.

"I guess, but it gets boring waiting for something exciting to happen."

Jackie just hummed before she started to put tinsel on the tree, Hermione joining her. Hermione watched her Aunt look at a present wistfully before she placed it under the tree. Suddenly there was a weird wheezing noise that had Hermione frowning and Jackie gasping.

"Rose!" Jackie shouted before she ran out of the flat and down the stairs. Hermione followed her wanting to make sure everything was okay. When they reached the outside they bumped into Mickey. "Mickey!"

"Jackie, it's the TARDIS!" Mickey said as the continued to run.

Hermione continued to follow, now understanding somewhat at what was happening. The Doctor was here, for 19 years she waited to see this amazing man again. She had research all she could about him when UNIT gave her access to their files.

"I know! I know, I heard it! She's alive, Mickey! I said so, didn't I? She's alive!" Jackie replied.

"What do you mean she's alive?!" Hermione asked "What's going on?"

Mickey stared at Hermione in confusion before he remembered she was visiting but ignored her question. "Shush! Shut up a minute!" They both looked around frantically.

"Well, where is it then?" Jackie asked looking round.

Suddenly, the TARDIS appeared out of thin air, about 20 feet above their heads. It crashed against the buildings on either side as it fell to Earth. Jackie screamed and grabbed onto Mickey. As Hermione silently casted a shield around them hoping it would protect them. The TARDIS finally skidded to a halt, smashing into a post van and knocking over some dustbins on the way. The three ran to the door as it was thrown open by a young brown haired man. The man peered out with his mouth wide open.

"Here we are, then! London! Earth! The Solar System! We did it!" He stumbled out of the TARDIS, gazing up at the flats with his mouth still hanging open. Jackie, Hermione and Mickey just stare at him. The man suddenly noticed them. "Jackie! Mickey! Blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on." He stumbled back a few steps before he looked at Hermione, she pulled in a deep breath when she felt a pull at her heart and her magic reaching out to the man. This man was her soulmate. The Doctor stared at the beautiful woman who turned out to be his soulmate, he could feel his hearts beating faster than they already were. He stared intently knowing she was familiar to him before it clicked "Hermione Jean Granger. Still reading your big girl books?" he asked.

Hermione gasped "Doctor?" she whispered, she thought the UNIT files were joking when they said the Doctor could change his face. He was her soulmate!

He grinned, she knew who he was, even with his new face, Fantastic! He looked back to Mickey and Jackie remembering they were there "Wait there, I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you. Something important, what was it? No, hold on, hold on..." he comes forward and puts his hand on their shoulders, looking like he was thinking hard "Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush...Oh!" Jackie and Mickey jumped in alarm. Hermione just watched on in amusement "I know!" he exclaimed as he looked from one to the other, panting and beaming before glancing at Hermione "Merry Christmas!" And then he collapsed, falling to the ground unconscious. Hermione quickly bent down and made sure he hadn't hurt his head.

Rose came out of the TARDIS and noticed him on the ground. "What happened? Is he all right?"

"I don't know, he just keeled over! But who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Mickey asked.

"That's him." Hermione said making Rose frown at how she remembered the Doctor and knew the man on the floor was him. "This is the Doctor."

"What d'you mean," Jackie said, not noticing her niece knew the Doctor despite not 'meeting' him. "'This is the Doctor?' Doctor who?"

"It's hard to explain, mum. But we need to get him in." Rose said "Mickey grab his legs." Rose reached down for both his arm but Hermione stopped her, grabbing one so Rose didn't bare so much weight. Rose smiled appreciatively at Hermione before they carried the Doctor back to the flat.

When they entered they took him to the spare room where Hermione usually stayed and placed him on the bed. Jackie handed Rose some pyjamas. Rose stared at them and then the Doctor not knowing how to get him in them. Hermione placed her hand on Rose's arm.

"I can help with that, this will be a shock but when we've made sure he's okay I'll explain everything." She said as she pulled out her wand and gave it a wave swapping the Doctors clothes for the pyjamas.

Rose's and Jackie's eyes widened at what Hermione had just done before Jackie walked off to find something else to help the Doctor. Rose sat down on the edge of the looking at him.

"How did you know it was a Doctor?" Rose asked Hermione.

"I remember the day of Uncle Pete's death vividly. At first I believed my parents at thinking the Doctor was an imaginary friend to help me cope. But then when you started to mature, I knew it just confirmed what I remembered, you were there also. But you were older, I worked out why everything happened and I'm glad you did it." Rose looked at Hermione with wide eyes "It gave you a chance to see and know your dad and it gave us both a chance to say goodbye."

It was silent for a few minutes until Jackie re-entered holding a stethoscope. "Here we go." Jackie said handing it to Rose "Tina the Cleaner's got this lodger, medical student. And she was fast asleep, so I just took it." Rose put the stethoscope in her ears. "Though, I still say we should take him to hospital."

Rose took the stethoscope out again. "We can't. They'd lock him up. They'd dissect him. One bottle of his blood could change the future of the human race." Jackie opened her mouth to say something. "No! Shush!" Jackie stopped and Rose put the stethoscope back in her ears and placed it on one side of the Doctor's chest, after a while she then placed it on the other side. "Both working."

"What d'you mean 'both'?" Jackie asked.

"Well, he's got two hearts." Rose said. Hermione nodded absentmindedly remembering his UNIT file saying the same.

"Oh, don't be stupid." Jackie said scornfully.

Rose got up and headed for the door "He has!"

"Anything else he's got two of?" Jackie asked making Hermione chuckle.

Rose turned back "Leave him alone." She left the room. Jackie peered at the Doctor before following her.

Hermione looked at her soulmate taking in his pale complexion, she pulled out her wand again and casted a diagnostic spell on him. The spell showed her that several of his organs were damaged but were slowly healing themselves and that all he needed was rest. She made sure he was comfortable before she left the room completely missing the wisp of the golden Time Vortex that escaped the Doctor's mouth.

oOo

Hermione entered the living room to see Rose and Jackie talking in the kitchen and Mickey was watching the TV. Hermione smiled slightly at the sight of Harriet Jones. Mickey smiled at her as she sat next to him.

"So finally telling Jackie and Rose about being a witch?" Mickey whispered. Mickey had been the first person she had told when she found out that the weird stuff she did was actually accidental magic. Mickey had been happy for her but also sad that they wouldn't be going to the same school anymore.

"Is that Harriet Jones?!" Rose said as she left the kitchen.

"Oh, never mind me..." Jackie said as she followed.

Rose stared at the TV "Why's she on the telly?"

"She's Prime Minister now." Hermione said.

"I'm eighteen quid a week better off." Jackie said as Rose smiled incredulously. "They're calling it 'Britain's Golden Age'. Keep on saying 'My Rose has met her'."

"Did more than that. Stopped World War Three with her. Harriet Jones..." Rose smiled.

"Oh, she's had some great things to say about you." Hermione said.

"_Harriet Jones,"_ a man on the TV said _"what about those calling the Guinevere One Space Probe a waste of money?"_

"_Now, that's where you're wrong." Harriet replied "I completely disagree if you don't mind." _Rose laughed and Hermione smiled. _"The Guinevere One Space Probe represents this country's limitless ambition. British workmanship sailing up there among the stars."_

"_This is the spirit of Christmas, birth and rejoicing, and the dawn of a new age, and that is what we're achieving fifteen million miles away."_ A man next to Harriet said.

"You've met Harriet Jones?" Jackie asked Hermione.

"I work in the government, Aunt Jacks." Hermione replied.

"And they know you can do whatever it was you did?" she asked.

"It's why I work with them." she said "I'm a witch, Aunt Jackie."

Rose scoffed "Yeah right!"

"What? So aliens can be real, but witches and wizards can't?" Hermione asked her.

"Aliens are more realistic." Rose said.

Hermione just pulled out her wand and transfigured the table in to a litter of kittens before turning it back. She then waved her wand and the unforgotten decorations were suddenly zooming about and hanging in their rightful places. She then summon the tin of biscuits and eating one. "I could prove magic all day." She told Rose. "There isn't just me, there are hundreds of us around the world. We have schools, hospitals, shops, a government, and banks. Our world is just like yours, just more outdated and with magic." She paused "I work as a liaison officer between this world and my own. I meet up with the Prime Minister to keep her up to date with anything that might involve the muggles or that she would need to know about our world and she does the same so I can pass it on to our Minister. I also advanced in my job when 10 Downing Street blew up and now liaison with UNIT."

"Wow." Jackie said as she sat down "What else can you do?"

"Loads." Hermione smiled before she went on to tell her Aunt everything. She told her about what she could do and her school years. That then led onto the war, she still didn't tell her Aunt that magic was the reason why her parents had died. But she told her that was why they left to Australia.

oOo

Hermione was back in the room where the Doctor was resting. She had performed another diagnostic spell and found he was still healing but slowly. It hurt her to see him like this and she wished she knew more about his species so she could help him more. Rose and Mickey had left earlier to do some Christmas shopping seeming Rose couldn't do it in the TARDIS. She knew Rose was still sceptical about her being a witch, but Hermione didn't really care at least her Aunt Jackie believed her.

Hermione sighed as she slipped her hand in the Doctors and placed her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He was quiet warm, but not warm enough to be worrying. She moved her hand and started running it through his hair remembering her mum doing it when she was ill. She gasped when she felt the Doctors hand tighten in hers and when a golden wisp escaped his mouth. She raised her hand and watched as the wisp danced around her hand and fingers before floating out the window. She looked down at the Doctor and felt his forehead again.

"What can I do?" she whispered.

The front door bursting open pulled Hermione away from him and she stood to find out what was going on.

"Get off the phone!" Rose shouted at Jackie who was on the phone.

"It's only Bev! She says hello." Rose grabbed the phone off her.

"Bev? Yeah, look, it'll have to wait." She hung up and looked at Mickey and her mother. "Right, it's not safe, we've gotta get out. Where can we go?"

"My mate Stan, he'll put us up." Mickey suggested.

"That's only two streets away." Rose turned to Jackie "What about Mo? Where's she living now?"

"I dunno! Peak District!" Jackie said.

"Oh, we'll go to Cousin Mo's then."

"It's Christmas Eve! We're not going anywhere! What're you babbling about?" Jackie asked Rose.

"We could go mine, I have room and my place is protected like Fort Knox." Hermione said.

"Mum..." Rose said about to agree with Hermione before she noticed the new tree in the corner of the room "Where'd you get that tree?" Jackie turned to look at it as Hermione frowned at it getting a weird feeling, noticing it was no longer white, but green. "That's a new tree. Where'd you get it?"

"Well, I thought it was you!" Jackie said to her.

"How can it be me?"

"Well, you went shopping, there was a ring at the door, and there it was!"

"No, that wasn't me."

"Then who was it...? Hermione?" Hermione shook her head at Jackie.

They all stare at the tree as it began to light up "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." The tree started to spin, slowly at first and then very fast. Jackie screamed as 'Jingle Bells' started to play and the tree sped up and then reduced the coffee table within seconds.

"Go, go, go! Get out!" Mickey shouted as Hermione went for her wand but realised she left it on the bedside table next to the Doctor. Rose and Jackie ran from the room while Mickey picked up a chair and held it in front of him. Jackie ran to the front door but Rose ran to the room where the Doctor was.

"We've got to save the Doctor!" Rose called as Hermione stayed behind Mickey so she could pull him back when she needed to.

"What're you doing?!" Jackie shouted.

"We can't just leave him!"

"Mickey! Hermione!" The Christmas tree chopped up the legs of the chair. "Leave it! Get out! Get out!" Mickey just stood his ground. "Mickey! Get out of there!" He gave up, grabbing Hermione's hand and they joined Jackie. They ran into the Doctor's room.

"Just leave him!" Jackie said as Hermione grabbed her wand from the bedside table.

"Get in here!" Mickey demands her.

Frustrated, Jackie slammed the door shut and Hermione magically locked it as she stood in front of the foot of the bed. Mickey and Jackie slid a wardrobe in front of the door while Rose bent over the Doctor.

"Doctor, wake up!" Rose pleaded.

Mickey and Jackie leaned against the wardrobe and Rose took the sonic screwdriver out of the Doctor's leather jacket. The wardrobe started to shake as the Christmas tree tried to get through. Jackie shouted out as Rose placed the sonic screwdriver in the Doctor's hand, but he remained lifeless. The Christmas tree finally smashed through the wardrobe, and Mickey and Jackie were thrown backwards.

Jackie cowered against the wall. "I'm gonna get killed by a Christmas tree!"

Rose, desperate, leaned right down close to the Doctor's ear. "Help me." but again he remain lifeless. Rose drew back slightly upset that he hadn't woken for her.

Hermione stepped forward a spell ready when she fell back when the tree moved quickly forwards.

"Hermione!" Mickey calls panicked.

The Doctor sat up very suddenly and wrapped his arm around Hermione to steady her before both of them simultaneously aim their arms at the tree. The Doctor clicked on the screwdriver as Hermione fired a 'Bombarda' at it. With the mixture of the two energies the tree exploded. The Doctor lowered the sonic screwdriver as Hermione lowered her wand and sagged into him as she panted.

"Are you alright?" he whispered in Hermione's ear, revealing in having his soulmate in his arms.

"Yeah." She breathed also revealing in being in her soulmates arm.

"What just happened?" Rose asked not liking how the Doctor was holding Hermione.

"Remote control. But who's controlling it?" the Doctor murmured as he got out of the bed. He held his hand out to help Hermione. She took it and he led her out the front door, picking a dressing gown up along the way.

The Doctor walked out onto the balcony, securing a dressing gown around him, grabbing Hermione's hand once he had. Rose, Jackie and Mickey follow them. Outside on the ground stand three Santa's.

"That's them. What are they?" Mickey asked.

"Shush!" Rose said as she looked at the Doctor, trying to ignore him holding Hermione's hand.

The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the Santa's threateningly. They backed away slowly, standing closer to each other. Then, they teleported away.

"They've just gone! What kind of rubbish were they?" Mickey asked "I mean, no offence, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's gonna scare them off."

"Pilot Fish." The Doctor stated.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Small fish that swim alongside big predator fish." Hermione told them.

"They were just Pilot Fish." The Doctor coughed and threw himself backwards against the wall, clearly in pain. They all hurriedly kneel down to him.

"What's wrong?!" Rose asked him panicked.

"You woke me up too soon." He breathed heavily, his grip on Hermione's hand tightening "I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy." More of the Time Vortex escaped through his mouth and flowed towards Hermione who again let it dance around her hand and fingers. The Doctor watched in awe as the golden glow from the Vortex highlighted Hermione's beauty even more. The Vortex disappeared off into the night sky "You see? The Pilot Fish could smell it. A million miles away. So they eliminate the defence, that's you lot, and they carry me off. They could run their batteries on me for a couple of year." He lurched forward, groaning.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Jackie said.

"My head!" the Doctor gritted out as Jackie kneeled before him, holding him up. "I'm having a neuron implosion. I need..."

"What do you need?" Jackie asked frantically.

"I need..." the Doctor panted.

"Say it, tell me, tell me..."

"I need..."

"Painkillers?"

"I need..." the Doctor repeated getting slightly irritated he was being able to say what he needed.

"Do you need aspirin?"

"I..."

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I dunno, Pepto-Bismol?"

"I need..."

"Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?"

"I need..."

Jackie's voice raised hysterically "Is it food? Something simple? Uh... a bowl of soup? A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?"

"I need you to shut up." The Doctor gritted out.

"Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?" Jackie said to Rose and Mickey.

The Doctor lurched forward again, still not releasing Hermione as he leaned against the opposite wall. "We haven't got much time." The Doctor panted as he leaned against Hermione who was now behind him to give him support. "If there's Pilot Fish, then..." he frowned and took an apple out of his dressing gown "Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?"

"Oh, that's Howard, sorry." Jackie told him.

"He keeps apples in his dressing gown?"

"He gets hungry." Jackie shrugged.

He looked confusedly at the apple "What, he gets hungry in his sleep?"

"Sometimes."

The Doctor suddenly shouted out in pain again as he sank deeper in Hermione's embrace. He grimaced. "Brain...collapsing..." He grabbed hold of Hermione's arms, holding them tightly. Speech becoming a huge effort for him "P...the Pilot Fish. The Pilot Fish mean...that something, something...Something's coming." He then collapsed completely into Hermione's lap. She started running her hand through his hair again as she asked Mickey to help her get him back into the flat.

They placed him on the bed and Hermione conjured a bowl and filled it with water before she summoned a cloth from the kitchen. She dipped the cloth in the water and then placed it against the Doctor's sweating forehead. She performed a diagnostic spell and found that only one of his hearts were beating and she said as much to Rose.

oOo

Hermione was sat next to the Doctor running her hands through his hair. Mickey had told her about the aliens on the TV and she knew at some point she might be called in. she smiled when Jackie came in and placed two cups of tea on the bedside table before she tucked the cover in more around the Doctor. Hermione noticed the bags under her Aunts eyes.

"Go and get some sleep." She told her.

"You sure?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah." Hermione watched as Jackie left before she lay next to the Doctor, replacing the damp cloth with a new one. She pulled out one of her books and started reading it aloud.

oOo

Rose stood from the couch wanting to check on the Doctor. She didn't understand why he didn't wake for her and she hadn't liked it when he woke when Hermione was in danger. He's supposed to save her. She also _really_ didn't like how he hand held onto Hermione, how he had stared at her like he was seeing something new and amazing.

She came to the room and stopped abruptly when she saw both Hermione and the Doctor wrapped in each other's embraces. Hermione was asleep with her head on his chest and an open book on the floor. She was about to storm over and rip them apart when Mickey appeared behind her.

"The Doctor wouldn't do this. The old Doctor. The proper Doctor. He'd wake up. He'd save us." She said shakily. _He wouldn't be wrapped up with someone else_. She thought.

Mickey didn't say anything he just pulled Rose into his arms. He had seen the look the Doctor had been giving Hermione. He may be called an idiot, but he knew that look. It was the look he gave Rose. That look he saw in the Doctor's eyes gave him hope that he could finally get his relationship with Rose back.

A commotion outside startled Hermione awake, she blushed as she noticed the position she was in. She heard one of her Aunt Jackie's neighbours, Sandra, shouting. "What is wrong with you? Jason? Jason?"

Rose and Mickey popped their heads out of the door. "Sandra?"

Hermione got of the bed and walked over to the window and opened the curtain to watch what was happening. She watched as people passed and headed upwards towards the roof. Her heart froze when she watched everyone freeze on the ledges just two steps away from jumping.

Hermione rushed out of the flat and to the roof. She stood at the door to the roof and casted a diagnostic spell. It came back as blood control making her breath in relief, their free will wasn't completely controlled. She left the roof and quickly made her way back down to the flat and told Jackie what was happening but not to worry as no one will jump.

She was sat back next to the Doctor when Rose and Mickey returned heading for the living room and switching the TV on. Hermione listened closely to Harriet Jones.

"_Ladies and gentlemen...if I may take a moment during this terrible time. It's hardly the Queen's speech, I'm afraid that's been cancelled. Did we ask about the royal family?"_ there was a short silence _"Oh. They're on the roof. But, Ladies and gentlemen, this crisis is unique, and I'm afraid to say, it might get much worse. I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request: Doctor. If you're out there...we need you. I don't know what to do. But if you can hear me, Doctor...anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him...the situation has never been more desperate. Help us. Please, Doctor. Help us."_

Hermione closed her eyes as she grabbed the Doctors hand, she had to find a way to wake him so he could save the day. Her eyes opened when she heard movement outside the room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rose lean against the doorframe, watching the Doctor's lifeless from. Hermione could feel the heated glare come from her cousin. She had seen the look in Rose's eye whenever she had looked at the Doctor when Hermione had saw them when she was 8. She knew her cousin loved the Doctor. But Hermione knew that with him now being her soulmate, Rose couldn't have him. No matter that Rose was family, Hermione would fight for her soulmates heart, or is it hearts?

Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by her cousin sobbing, taking great gulping breaths. Hermione watched Jackie come to Rose, taking her in her arms. Rose turned to her and puts her arms around Jackie's shoulders, her eyes screwed up against the tears.

"He's gone. The Doctor's gone. He's left me, mum. He's left me, mum..." Rose sobbed.

Hermione just rolled her eyes at her cousin's over dramatics. "He's not gone, he's in what is known as a healing coma. I've been in one and trust me you'll be thankful that he's been in one when he wakes."

"You know nothing about him or what's happening." Rose snapped. Angry at how Hermione thought she knew the Doctor after one short meeting when the girl was 8.

"I appear to know more than you." Hermione said "I knew he was the Doctor even though he has a different face. I'm surprised you didn't know about the regeneration. I wonder what else you don't know about him. Maybe you think you're his first ever companion." She knew she was being harsh, but her magic was pushing her to defend and protect her soulmate from this possible threat.

Before Rose could retort the windows smashed, showering the floor with glass. The ground shaking violently. Rose, Mickey and Jackie raced outside as Hermione cleaned the glass that had managed to cover the Doctor before she looked out the window and saw what looked like a slab of rock floating above London. She felt something in her pocket heat up and pulled out a golden coin. It was like the coins Dumbledore's Army used in fifth year, but this was connected to only one other in the possession of Kingsley. Hermione ignored the summons, knowing her magic wouldn't allow her to leave her soulmate with the possible danger, hanging literally over their heads.

Rose ran into the Doctor's bedroom, Mickey not far behind her. "Mickey, we're gonna carry him." she threw the duvet off the Doctor, Hermione tensed at her cousin closeness to the Doctor, trying to stop her magic from bursting forwards "Mum, get your stuff, and get some food. We're going."

"Well, where to?" Mickey asked.

"The TARDIS. It's the only safe place on Earth." Rose replied as Hermione started to collect her stuff now that her magic had calmed seeing Rose was trying to help the Doctor.

"What're we gonna do in there?!" Jackie asked.

"Hide." Rose stated simply.

"Is that it?!"

"Mum, look in the sky. There's a great, big, alien invasion and, I don't know what to do, alright? I've travelled with him, and I've seen all that stuff but when I'm stuck at home, I'm useless. Now, all we can do is run and hide, and I'm sorry. Now, move."

Jackie looked to Hermione "Can your magic do anything?" she asked.

"Not that I know of, I could put protective shields around us. But that might not be much, I have no idea what we're facing and what their capable off. If I met them I'd be able to cast some spells to see what would affect them or not." Hermione told her Aunt Jackie and the others. "Sorry."

Jackie just nodded and left the room to get some food and other supplies. Rose heaved the Doctor up, taking his shoulders. Mickey took his legs. "Oh, lift him. Hermione, get the doors."

Hermione nodded and ran to the front door holding it open as Rose and Mickey hauled the Doctor out. She then raced ahead of them to open the door to the stairs for them before racing to the bottom to do the same.

"The key is in my left pocket." Rose shouted to Hermione but she was already racing to the TARDIS doors. Rose's eyes widened when Hermione just pulled her wand out and waved it opening the TARDIS doors.

"Don't really need a key." She called over grinning making Mickey grin and Rose's lips twitch. Rose looked back and rolled her eyes at her mother struggling with several shopping bags "Mum, will you just leave that stuff and give us a hand?"

"It's food!" Jackie called "You said we need f..."

"Just leave it!" Rose interrupted.

Rose and Mickey carried the Doctor towards the TARDIS, Jackie still following them with the shopping bags. Hermione stepped into the TARDIS and gasped at the beauty of it. She walked towards the console as Mickey and Rose carried the Doctor in and placed him on the floor. Hermione span around trying to take everything in, she felt a warmth brush her skin and guessed it might be the TARDIS greeting her.

"She gorgeous." Hermione said making Mickey smile. He remembered the second time he entered the TARDIS, Hermione had flashed through his mind. He knew she would have loved the TARDIS and he knew she was dying to ask questions about the ship. But he knew those questions could only be answered by the Doctor.

"Not going to ask about the size on the inside?" Mickey asked.

Hermione just turned to him before she pulled out her small beaded bag and shoved her whole arm in up to her shoulder. She smirked at Mickey's shocked expression as she pulled her arm out.

"Any chance you could make me a bag like that?" Jackie asked as she put the shopping bags down making Hermione giggle and shake her head. Hermione put her hand back in her bag and pulled out a pillow and then kneeled down and placed it under the Doctor's head.

Mickey smiled watching this before he turned to Rose. "No chance you could fly this thing?"

Rose tore her gaze away from Hermione, she had to start to remind herself that her cousin was a caring person. Her mother had reminded her when they were making their way back to the flat when the spaceship had arrived. Her cousin never cared if you were a stranger or not, she would help you. "Not anymore, no." Rose replied.

"Well, you did it before..."

"I know, but it's sort of been...wiped out of my head, like it's forbidden. Try that again and I think the universe rips in half." Rose tried to joke.

"Ah, better not, then." Mickey said.

"Maybe not."

"So, what do we do? Just sit here?"

"That's as good as it gets." Rose said frustrated.

"Right, here we go." Jackie said with a thermal in hand "Nice cup of tea."

"Hmm, the solution to everything..." Rose muttered.

"Now, stop your moaning." Jackie scolded "I'll get the rest of the food." She left the TARDIS as Rose leaned against the console and looked down at the Doctor.

"Tea." Mickey said picking up the thermal "Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British." Rose didn't answer. Mickey looked at the TARDIS computer screen. "How does this thing work? It picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered." He pressed a few buttons "What do you do to it?"

"I dunno, it sort of tunes itself." Rose replied still snappish. She pressed a few buttons when a bleeping noise entered the TARDIS. Hermione placed herself down on the floor of the TARDIS next to the Doctor.

"Maybe it's a distress signal." Mickey commented.

"Fat lot of good that's gonna do." Rose once again muttered.

"Are you gonna be a misery all the time?"

"Yes."

"You should look at it from my point of view, stuck in here with your mum's cooking." Mickey joked making Hermione grin at him.

Rose looked around "Where is she?" Mickey shrugged "I'd better go and give her a hand. It might start raining missiles out there."

"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine." Mickey called.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not that brave."

Rose paused at the door "Oh, I don't know..." She smiled at him and opened the door. Mickey smiled back, hope in his eyes as he watched her. Was this her coming back to him?

Mickey looked around when he heard a noise outside "Rose?" He made to follow her, dropping the thermal flask of tea on the grilling next to the Doctor's head. It starting to leak.

"Get off! Get off me!" Rose shouted as Mickey ran out of the TARDIS doors "The door! Close the door!"

The Door slammed shut before Hermione made it to them. Hermione turned round and looked at the Doctor.

"Okay Doctor, time to wake up." She murmured. She leaned down next to him and pulled out her wand. Before she could cast anything she noticed steam rising from the grill flooring. She watched as the Doctor took a deep breath, his mouth opening as the golden Vortex once again flowed out towards Hermione. Slowly his eyes opened and he sat up. Hermione grinned and threw herself at him and held him tightly.

The Doctor smiled into the curly hair of his soulmate, holding her just as tight. "Hello Hermione."

Hermione pulled back still grinning "Hello Doctor."

"You've grown beautifully." The Doctor said to her. Hermione blushed looking down and mumbled a thanks as she fiddled with her wand. The Doctor saw it and smiled "So I was right, you are a witch."

Hermione's eye snapped to his, wide in shock. "How?"

"'I can appear and disappear, make books come to me from the highest shelve.'" He smiled quoting 8 year old her.

Hermione returned it before she gasped "Rose and Mickey!" she said standing "There in danger. Big alien ship."

"Let's go!" he grinned holding his hand out.

She grabbed it as the Doctor threw the doors of the TARDIS open. "Did you miss me?" he asked grinning. The Sycorax Leader roared in fury and lashed his whip at the Doctor, who simply caught the end and pulled it away from him. He discarded it. "You could have someone's eye out with that!" _You could have had my soulmates eye out with it_. He thought as he looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye to make sure she was alright. The Sycorax Leader just roared again and tried to attack the Doctor with his staff, but the Doctor snatched it off him and snapped it over his knee. He chucked the broken pieces on the floor. "You just can't get the staff. Now, you, just wait. I'm busy." The Sycorax Leader stared at him incredulously. The Doctor pointed at him warningly, then walked over to Mickey. Pulling Hermione with him. "Mickey! Hello!" he turned to Harriet as Hermione hugged Mickey. The Doctor had to stop himself from pulling her away remembering they were best friends. "And Harriet Jones MP for Flydale North! Blimey, it's like 'This Is Your Life'!" he turned to Rose as Hermione said hello to Harriet "Tea! That's all I needed! A good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses..." he lowered his voice looking serious "Now...first thing's first...be honest. How do I look?"

"Um...different." Rose replied.

The Doctor not liking her reply looked to Hermione "Good different or bad different?"

"Good." Hermione smiled.

"Really? How good?"

Hermione blushed "Very." She replied making the Doctor grin, pleased that his soulmate found him pleasing.

He then turned serious again "Am I...ginger?" he asked her, neither noticing Rose's glare.

"No, you're just sort of brown." Hermione said looking at his messy hair,

The Doctor pouted "Aww, I wanted to be ginger. I've never been ginger." He then turned to Rose pointing violently "And you, Rose Tyler, fat lot of good you were, you gave up on me, oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude." He pondered this "Rude and not ginger."

"Better than being ginger and rude." Hermione told him, remembering the temper of a certain redhead.

"I'm sorry," Harriet said cutting in "who is this?"

"I'm the Doctor." The Doctor smiled at her.

"He's the Doctor." Rose agreed hesitantly still not sure if it was.

"But what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that's just passed on?" Harriet asked.

The Doctor walked towards her "I'm him. I'm literally him. Same man, new face, well, new everything."

Harriet frowned "But you can't be."

"Harriet Jones. We were trapped in Downing Street, and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens...wasn't the war...it was the thought of your mother being on her own."

Harriet gasped "Oh, my God."

The Doctor bent down slightly "Did you win the election?"

"Landslide majority." Harriet smiled pleased.

"If I might interrupt!" the Sycorax Leader. They all spun around, having seemed to have forgotten him.

"Yes! Sorry! Hello, big fella!" the Doctor said.

"Who exactly are you?" the Sycorax Leader asked.

"Well." The Doctor with his grin still fixed "That's the question."

"I demand to know who you are!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" the Doctor shouted, imitating the Sycorax's voice. He then relaxes "See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I...I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested." He walked around, addressing everyone "Am I funny? Am I sarcastic?" he looked at Hermione "Sexy?" he winked cheekily at her as she blushed and smiled shyly. "Right old misery? Life and soul? Right-handed? Left-handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob." Her noticed a big red button "And how am I gonna react when I see this?" pointed at it with an insane smile "A great big threatening button." He ran up the stairs laughing, pulling Hermione with him. He let go of her hand watching as she walked round waving her wand "A Great Big Threatening Button Which. Must. Not. Be. Pressed. Under. Any. Circumstances. Am I right? Let me guess, it's some sort of control matrix? Hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?" He bent down and pulled open a small door in order to access the controls underneath the button. He noticed the red liquid inside. "And what've we got here? Blood?" he dipped his finger in it and tasted it "Yeah, definitely. Blood. Human blood. A Positive. With just a dash of iron." He waggled his tongue around at the nasty taste and wiped his finger on his dressing gown "Ahh. But that means..."

"Blood control..." Hermione told him.

He smiles delighted "Blood control! Oh! I haven't seen blood control for years! You're controlling all the A Positives!"

"I see it sometimes." Hermione told him.

The Doctor nodded "Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. 'Cos...I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a Great Big Threatening Button. Which. Should. Never. Ever. Be. Pressed...then I just wanna do this." He whacked the button hard.

"No!" Rose and Harriet shouted in unison.

"You killed them!" the man with Harriet, who Hermione recognised as Alex, said shocked.

"What do you think, big fella? Are they dead?"

"We allow them to live." The Sycorax Leader replied defeated.

"Allow?" the Doctor asked

"You've no choice!" Hermione snapped "I mean, that's all blood control is. Cheap bit of voodoo."

"Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis...you can hypnotise someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis, you can't hypnotise them to death. Survival instinct's too strong." The Doctor finished, squeezing Hermione's hand to calm her.

"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force." The Sycorax Leader told them.

"You won't just be up against normal humans." Hermione said "I and a lot of other people can do a lot worse than voodoo. At the age of 18 I helped take down a man who consider himself immortal."

"Look at these people." The Doctor gestures to the humans, speaking passionately "These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than...no, hold on..." he paused thinking "Sorry, that's _'The Lion King'_. But the point still stands. Leave them alone!"

"Or what?" the Sycorax Leader demanded.

"Or..." the Doctor released Hermione's hand and grabbed a sword from one of the Sycorax guarding Rose and the others, he ran down the steps into the empty floor space in front of the TARDIS and raised it into the air. "I challenge you." The Sycorax Leader and the other Sycorax burst out laughing. "Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"

The Sycorax Leader came down the steps and unsheathing his sword "You stand as this world's champion."

The Doctor shrugged of his dressing gown "Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." he tossed it to Hermione, who caught it and placed it over her arm. "So...you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?" The Sycorax Leader hissed. Letting Hermione, Rose and the others know the Doctor just insulted the alien. They both kneeled by their swords.

"For the planet?" the Sycorax Leader stated.

"For the planet."

They stood up and faced each other, holding their swords at the ready. Hermione held her wand tightly in her hand, but guessed if this was like a wizards duel she couldn't help or they'd lose. The Doctor and the Sycorax Leader ran at each other and began to fight. After a few seconds, the Doctor was thrown aside, the Sycorax Leader laughed. The Doctor, however, just straightened himself up and they began to fight again. The Sycorax Leader swinging his sword at the Doctor.

"Look out!" Rose shouted to the Doctor.

"Oh, yeah, that helped. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks." The Doctor called back sarcastically. They began to fight again, Hermione and Rose watching them, terrified. The Doctor led the fight up the stairs. "Bit of fresh air?" He hit a button and a door opened, leading to a platform on the outside of the spaceship.

They continued their fight. Hermione, Rose, Mickey, Harriet, Alex and a few of the Sycorax following them. The Sycorax Leader managed to catch the Doctor slightly on his nose, and he groaned. Rose began to run forward, but Hermione quickly snatched up her arm stopping her as the Doctor raised a hand to stop her.

"Stay back! Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet." He wiped his nose, and he and the Sycorax Leader ran towards each other, clashing swords. They both grimaced with the effort, and the Doctor is knocked backwards to the ground. Taking advantage, the Sycorax Leader slashed at the Doctor's wrist, succeeding in chopping his hand off, up to the elbow. It falls off the side of the spaceship, sword and all. The Doctor watched it drop, and looked back at the Sycorax Leader, looking rather stunned and annoyed.

"You cut my hand off." He breathed.

The Sycorax Leader cheered "Yah! Sycorax!"

The Doctor got to his feet "And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky. 'Cos quite by chance...I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle. Which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy...to do this." He held up his stump of an arm, and before the eyes of the observers, it grew right back. Hermione gasped and felt questions bubbling to the surface.

"Witchcraft." The Sycorax Leader breathed.

"Time Lord."

Hermione summoned a sword from one of the Sycorax's "Doctor!" she called The Doctor turned and she tossed it to him. He caught it by the handle and spun it around grinning at Hermione in thanks.

"Wanna know the best bit?" the Doctor asked the leader "This new hand..." he adopted a Texan accent "It's a fightin' hand!"

The Doctor ran at the Sycorax Leader, and the fight commenced once more. They clashed swords for a few more moments, then the Doctor jabbed him hard in stomach with the handle of the sword. The onlookers winced, and the Sycorax Leader groaned. The Doctor did it twice more, causing the Sycorax Leader to fall to the ground. The Doctor pointed his sword at his throat.

"I win." The Doctor panted.

"Then kill me." the Sycorax Leader replied with difficulty.

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this champion's command: leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?"

"Yes."

The Doctor was as angry and serious as anyone had yet seen him, jabbing the sword closer "Swear on the blood of your species."

"I swear." The Sycorax Leader swore labouredly.

"There we are, then!" the Doctor said lightly "Thanks for that! Cheers, big fella!" He jabbed the sword into the ground.

"Bravo!" Harriet called clapping.

Rose rushed forward, Hermione not far behind her. "That says it all. Bravo!"

"Yeah! Not bad for a man in his jim-jams!" Hermione put the dressing gown back on the Doctor. Before she grabbed his regrown hand and examined it, the Doctor grinned before sliding his fingers through hers "Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man. Hold on, what have I got in here?" He took a satsuma out of his pocket. Rose giggled as Hermione smiled amused. "A satsuma. Ah, that friend of your mothers, he does like his snacks doesn't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" They all began to walk back to the door. The Doctor threw the satsuma in the air and caught it. "You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?"

Behind them, the Sycorax Leader got to his feet. He picked up his sword, roaring, ready to charge. Without even turning around, the Doctor lobbed the satsuma at a switch on the side of the ship, causing the ground beneath the Sycorax Leader to open as Hermione threw a Bat Bogey Hex behind her at the charging alien. He tumbled to Earth, screaming and fighting the flying bogey bats. The Doctor's smile had faded from his face. "No second chances. I'm that sort of a man."

"And that's witchcraft" Hermione threw over her shoulder.

They walked back into the ship, all standing in front of the TARDIS. The Doctor addressed the remaining Sycorax. "By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when go you back to the stars and tell others of this planet...when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this: It is defended."

The TARDIS, the Doctor, Hermione, Rose, Harriet, Mickey and Alex are all teleported away.

oOo

The group materialised back on Earth. They all look around to try and guess where they were returned.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

"We're just off Bloxom Road. We're just round the corner, we did it!" Mickey laughed and jumped up and down in glee.

The Doctor held his hand out as the spaceships engines started up. "Wait a minute...wait a minute..." The ship took flight, back to the skies. The Doctor grinned.

"Go on, my son!" Mickey called gleefully "Oh, yeah!"

Rose jumped on Mickey's back "Yeah! Don't come back!"

"It is defended!" Mickey laughed happily along with Rose as she jumped off his back and hugged him.

Hermione grinned at the Doctor before she hugged him. She pulled back and then ran towards Rose and Mickey, pulling them both in a group hug as the three jumped up and down happily.

The Doctor smiled as he watched the happy Hermione, he then turned to Harriet.

She raised her arms, grinning. "My Doctor." She said.

"Prime Minister." The Doctor also grinned, the both of them hugged happily.

"Absolutely the same man." The Doctor smiled. Then they both turned to look up at the sky. "Are there many more out there?"

"Oh, not just Sycorax. Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day you're sending out probes and messages and signals, this planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed...more and more." He looked at her as Hermione rejoined him "You'd better get used to it."

"Rose! Hermione!" Jackie called.

"Mum!" Rose called.

"Aunt Jackie!" Hermione grinned.

"Oh! Talking of trouble...!" the Doctor said walking towards Jackie.

Rose ran up to her mum "Oh, my God! You did it, Rose! Oh!" Jackie exclaimed.

"You did it too! It was the tea! Fixed his head!" Rose told her.

"That was all I needed, cup of tea." The Doctor told her as Jackie hugged Hermione.

"I said so!" Jackie said pleased.

Rose smiled happily "Look at him!"

"Is it him, though? Is it really the Doctor?" Jackie asked before she noticed Harriet "Oh, my God! It's the bleeding Prime Minister!"

"Come here, you." the Doctor said holding out his arms to Jackie, who threw her arms around him. Hermione, Rose and Mickey join in the group hug.

"Aww...! Are you better?" Jackie asked him.

"I am, yeah!"

Jackie turned quickly to Hermione and Rose. "You both left me!" Hermione just held up her hands shaking her head as she pointed at Rose smiling.

"I'm sorry!" Rose replied.

"I had all the food!"

Suddenly a green light shot loudly from the ground nearby, making everyone jump. They all watched as four more beams joined the other. The energy shot up into space and then there was an explosion in the sky.

Rose gasped "What is that? What's happening?"

Jackie and Hermione put their hands over their mouths. The Doctor looked unsmilingly from the sky to Harriet. He walked toward her slowly.

"That was murder." The Doctor gritted out angrily.

"That was defence." Harriet stated "It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago."

"But they were leaving." Hermione snapped.

"You said yourself, Doctor. They'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today, Mr Llewellyn and the Major. They were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case, we have to defend ourselves." She then looked to Hermione "And would your people be able to stop any of them?"

The Doctor stood in front of Hermione "Britain's Golden Age." He said disdainfully.

"It comes with a price."

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run, as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming: the human race."

"Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf." Harriet snapped.

"Then I should've stopped you."

"What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?"

The Doctor stepped towards her angrily. Hermione grabbed the back of his dressing gown to stop him from doing something terrible. "Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones. 'Cos I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your Government with a single word."

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met. But I don't think you're quite capable of that." Harriet said.

Hermione then went on her toes and whispered into the Doctors ear. He nodded and looked to Harriet "No, you're right. Not a single word." Looked down at her silently for a few seconds. "Just six."

"I don't think so."

"Six words."

"Stop it!" Harriet said.

"Six." he stared at her for a few more seconds. He then walked around her and approached Alex. He took off his earpiece and spoke to him quietly, so Harriet couldn't hear him. "Don't you think she looks tired?" He walked off again, leaving Alex looking rather confused, and Harriet plain alarmed. He grabbed Hermione's hand and they joined Rose, Jackie and Mickey again, and the five of them walked off down the street, with Harriet calling after them.

oOo

Hermione, Rose, Jackie and Mickey all helped set up Christmas dinner as they waited on the Doctor. Hermione had arranged a meeting with Kingsley through her coin. She needed to tell him about the spaceship and what Harriet had done to it, and about the weapon that the muggles had that they never knew about. This weapon scared her, the muggle government knew about them, so would they use this weapon on them if they displeased them?

The front door opened and the Doctor entered. Hermione smiled at him and noted how handsome he looked in his new clothes. The Doctor returned her smile as he moved more into the flat.

"You look great!" Hermione grinned.

"Good, good." The Doctor grinned.

"Come on, you lot. Dinners done." Jackie called.

The Doctor walked forward and pulled Hermione's chair out before sitting next to her with a big grin. Rose walked in with a tray and her smile fell when she saw the two sat together closely. Once everyone was sat crackers were starting to be pulled. Rose screamed as the Christmas cracker she pulled with the Doctor banged.

The Doctor winning but he gave it to Rose anyway. "Oh, that's yours..."

Rose took a pink paper party hat out of the cracker. "It's pink! Mum, it should be yours!" she turned back to the Doctor to see him pulling a cracker with Hermione both of them laughing and grinning.

She glared at the pair before the TV distracted her. "Look, it's Harriet Jones!"

They all turn to look at the television, the Doctor taking a pair of glasses from his pocket and putting them on. Hermione smiled at him "Even better." She whispered to him, making him grin.

"_Prime Minister, is it true you are no longer fit to be in position?"_ the man on the TV asked.

"_No. Now, can we talk about other things?"_ Harriet replied. The Doctor stood to get a better view of the TV.

"_Is it true you're unfit for office?"_ the man asked again.

"_Look, there is nothing wrong with my health! I don't know where these stories are coming from! And a vote of no confidence...is completely unjustified."_

The phone rang and Jackie got up to answer it.

"_Are you going to resign?"_

"_On today of all days, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm fine. I look fine, I feel fine."_ Harriet said frustrated and confused.

"It's Beth." Jackie said "She says go and look outside."

The Doctor took his glasses off and turned back to the others.

"Why?" Rose asked.

"I dunno, just go outside and look. Come on, shift!"

They all got up and left the flat. Once they were outside they saw they weren't alone. There appeared to be snow falling making them all laugh in delight. Hermione gasped as she looked up seeing meteors in the sky. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose stood beside each other, Jackie and Mickey a short way behind them.

"Oh, that's beautiful. What are they, meteors?" Rose asked.

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere. This isn't snow, it's ash." The Doctor said.

"Not so beautiful." Hermione stated. She rooted around in her bag before she pulled an empty vial out and took a sample of the ash, so she could test it to see if they could defend themselves against the energy.

"This is a brand new planet Earth. No denying the existence of aliens now, everyone saw it. Everything's new."

"And what about you? What are you gonna do next?" Rose asked him.

"Well...back to the TARDIS...same old life." He replied.

"On...on your own?" Rose asked tentatively.

"Why, don't you wanna come?" the Doctor asked dejected that the girl he considered a sister might not join him again.

"Well, yeah." Rose replied hopeful.

"Do you, though?"

"Yeah!"

"I just thought...'cos I changed..."

"Yeah, I...I thought, 'cos you changed...you might not want me anymore."

"Oh, I'd love you to come!" The Doctor said happily.

"Okay!" They laughed, beaming at each other.

The Doctor then turned to Hermione "What about you? Wanna come?" he asked, ruining Rose's happy mood instantly.

"I would love too." Hermione said making him grin, she hated to ruin it. Her magic literally warring with her about the decision she was about to make "But I have a report to give and then we have to discuss that weapon we didn't know about and how it could potential be used against my people. Rose also deserves your first few adventures as the new you to herself." The Doctor sagged dejected before Hermione went on her toes to whisper in his ear again, both not seeing the relieved smile from Rose "Ask me next time and see if my answer is the same." She grinned at the happy smile that crossed his face and he nodded.

"You're never gonna stay, are you?" Mickey asked, hoping Hermione had accepted the Doctors invitation and hoping Rose then declined because of it. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose looked at him.

"There's just so much out there. So much to see...I've got to." Rose told him.

Mickey smiles, understanding but still not happy. "Yeah."

"Well, I reckon you're mad. The pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble." Jackie said.

"Oh Aunt Jackie, if you wanted to see trouble, you should meet my friend Harry. It's like he's a magnet for it." Hermione grinned.

The Doctor rushed up to Jackie "Trouble's just the bits in-between" he put his arm around her and looks to the sky "It's all waiting out there, Jackie. It's brand new to me." Hermione and Rose smiled. "All those planets...creatures and horizons...I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes..." he stood beside Hermione "And it is gonna be...fantastic."

He grabbed hold of Hermione's hand wanting to have as much contact with her as he could. Hermione squeezed wanting the same and hoping it will settle her magic long enough until they saw each other again. She then got an idea and rummaged through her bag, she pulled out a pen and her notebook. She pulled her hand reluctantly from the Doctors and then wrote down her landline and mobile number.

"I won't always be there to answer, magic and electricity doesn't really work well together. But I will always call back." she smiled as she handed the piece of paper over to him.

The Doctor grinned and stuck it in his pocket before he grabbed her hand again and looked to the sky. He was going to have one maybe two adventures with Rose before he would come back for his soulmate and then he could start to completely rebuild his life again. Free from war.


	3. Chapter 2: School Reunion

**Chapter 2: School Reunion**

Hermione stood in front of the whiteboard in her English classroom. She was currently working undercover at a muggle school, which under a short few weeks had, had a massive boost in grades. It was too quick for any normal school and the energy signals the Ministry were reading around the school were worrying.

So they had sent her in to be the new English teacher. When she had entered the school she had felt a chill run down her spine and it had happened again when she had met the headmaster Mr Finch. He gave her the creeps, along with the dinner ladies and a few more of the teachers. Also some of the answers she received from the children freaked her a little. She knew she was a know-it-all, but they all put a new level to it.

For a week she had watched everything that happened and still she got nothing so she called Mickey. She would have called the Doctor directly but he had never called her, which hurt. She regretted it every day for the past month that she had turned down the Doctors offer, but she had to sort out the new weapon threat. Kinsley had been beyond angry about the weapon that he had never been told about. He had gone straight to Harriet and demanded answers, when she wouldn't give any he used Veritaserum. They both knew it was unethical but it had to be done for the protection of the wizarding world.

Harriet had told them about Torchwood and how they knew about the wizarding world. They had then got her to give them her files on the organisation and Hermione had looked through them. Torchwood had been found by Queen Victoria because of the Doctor. She had rolled her eyes at that, of course it would have been because of the Doctor. She had done more research before she and Kingsley decided to stay out of Torchwoods way. That way they wouldn't know that they knew. They had then sent a report out that if any Auror heard the word Torchwood then they had to report it back to Kingsley.

After they had sorted all of that out Hermione had told Kingsley that she wished to leave. He had asked her why and she had told him about the Doctor and about him being her soulmate. He had been happy for her and told her to just use the coin when she knew she would be leaving on her travels.

She had been happy when the Doctor showed up at the school to help her and her magic had swirled and ignited to be back near her soulmate. He had apologised for not calling her as it had been adventure after adventure. That had pleased her that he hadn't forgotten about her.

The Doctor was now currently teaching Science while Rose worked in the Kitchen. The class room door opened and Hermione's English class entered.

"Please sit down quietly!" she said as she pulled out a box of books to hand out "Today, we are reading some Jane Austen." She started handing out the books. "Who can tell me what was Austen's first novel?" Hands raised "Yes, Sarah?"

"Sense and Sensibility."

"Correct. What year? Yes, Timmy?"

"1811, Miss."

"Austen had originally called it _Elinor and Marianne_." Hermione told them "Who can tell me how long it took for Austen to write it? Sarah?"

"16 years."

"Good." Hermione said as she began to write down the lesson objective "Now I would like you to get into groups of three. I then want you to choose a character out of one of the many Austen books I have placed on the tables and analyses them, tell me about their character, tell me about their actions and choices, if they could have done something differently and how. If you do not finish by the end of the lesson, I would like you to finish it for homework because tomorrow your groups will be presenting it." There were collective groans "Get to it." Hermione said.

oOo

Hermione walked into the canteen, she quickly rushed forward and tapped the Doctor on the shoulder and smiled when he turned to look at her with his own smile.

"Mr Smith." She greeted.

"Miss Granger." He returned.

They walked down the dinner line picking up trays before going past the dinner ladies each putting something on their trays. They both come up to Rose, who spooned mashed potato onto their plates, giving them both a filthy look simultaneously. The Doctor just smirked at her and continued towards a table. Hermione following shortly after. She sat down next to him and started to eat parts of the meal she liked. The Doctor speared a chip on his fork, nibbled at it, and stared at it distastefully.

"I know, there horrible. But maybe it's because we got roasts for lunch and dinners at school." Hermione commented to him as Rose came over with a dishcloth to wipe their table down.

"Two days." Rose hissed.

"Sorry, could you just...there's a bit of gravy." He pointed to it with his fork. Rose wiped the table. "No, no, just there." Rose wiped up the gravy.

"Two days, we've been here." Rose hissed again.

"Try a week." Hermione told her.

"You were right." He told Hermione "Boy in class this morning, got a knowledge way beyond planet Earth."

"You eating those chips?" Rose asked him.

"Yeah, they're a bit...different."

Rose helped herself to one as Hermione handed hers over. "I think they're gorgeous. Wish I had school dinners like this." She sat down.

"It's very well behaved, this place." The Doctor said squinting around the canteen. Rose just hummed around a mouthful of chips. "I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy-slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones." He stared at Hermione and Rose impressively. "Yeah? Yeah? Oh, yeah! Don't tell me I don't fit in." Hermione just giggled at him as a dinner lady approached their table.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting." The dinner lady said to Rose.

Rose stood "I was just talking to these teachers."

"Hello!" the Doctor waved as Hermione just smiled.

"They don't like the chips." Rose said.

"Like I told Miss Granger. The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance." The dinner lady replied affronted "Now, get back to work." She left and Rose started walking away from the table.

"See? This is me." she said to the two as she gestured down at her uniform. "The dinner lady."

"We'll have the crumble." The Doctor said grinning.

"Actually make mine a cornflake pie, haven't had one since I was 10." Hermione said grinning as well.

"I'm so gonna kill you." Rose returned to her station as the Doctor grinning manically after her and Hermione chuckling at him.

A teacher, Mr Wagner, approached a girl sitting a few tables away. "Melissa. You'll be joining my class for the next period. Milo's failed me...so it's time we moved you up to the top class." The Doctor and Hermione watched "Kenny? Not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed." The boy replied.

"Luke, extra class. Now." He left, and several of the children followed him. Both Hermione and the Doctor glanced upwards spotting Mr Finch on the balcony watching.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione had both moved to the staff room before they had to return to their lessons. The both of them were sat on a desk sharing a packet of biscuits between them, the History teacher Mr Parsons paced in front of them.

"But yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy...in cubits."

"3 cubits." Hermione replied like everyone should have known.

The Doctor smiled at her before turning to Mr Parson "And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?"

"Finch arrived three months ago. Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaced them with that lot." He nodded over to where a group of smart looking teachers were standing. The Doctor and Hermione looked over their shoulders at them. "Except for the teacher you replaced, and that was just plain weird, her winning the lottery like that." Mr Parson told the Doctor.

"How's that weird?"

"She never played! Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight."

The Doctor just shoved another biscuit in his mouth to stop the grin that he felt coming. "Hmm! The world is very strange."

Mr Finch then walked in with a woman behind him "Excuse me, colleagues, a moment of your time." The Doctor turned. His eyes widened at the sight of the woman which made the Doctor perk up and Hermione look at him curiously. "May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith." Hermione nodded knowing why the Doctor perked up, he was seeing one of his past companions "Miss Smith is a journalist, who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times." Sarah Jane smiled around at them all. "I thought it might be useful for her to get 'a view from the trenches', so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." He turned and left.

Sarah Jane caught the Doctor's eye and approached him and Hermione. "Hello!"

"Oh, I should think so!" the Doctor said making Hermione stifle a laugh at his flustering.

"And, you are...?" she asked them both.

"Hermione Granger." Hermione said before nudging the Doctor to get him to reply.

"Hm? Uh, Smith. John Smith."

"John Smith? I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name." Sarah Jane said making Hermione smile at the reminiscing in Sarah Jane's eyes.

"Well, it's a very common name!" the Doctor told her.

"He was a very uncommon man." She held out her hand to both of them. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you! Yes! Very nice! More than nice, brilliant!"

"Um... so, um, have you worked here long?" Sarah Jane asked them.

"No! Um, it's only my second day."

"A week." Hermione told her.

"Oh, you're both new, then? So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum?" The Doctor couldn't tear his eyes away from her, and smiling at her but she didn't seem to notice. "So many children getting ill, doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile." Hermione said smiling, she was liking this woman.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here." Sarah Jane told her.

"No. Good for you." The Doctor said as she walked off. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith."

Hermione just shook her head and took an uneaten biscuit out of his hand "I think you scared her." She told him. The Doctor just retaliated by taking a massive bite out of the biscuit in her hand. "Hey!" she laughed as she pulled the rest away so he couldn't steal the rest.

Her laughter caught Sarah Jane's attention and she smiled at it as she watched the two. _Ah! Young Love_. She thought as she turned back to the conversation she was having.

oOo

The Doctor opened a fire door and came through it into a dark corridor, followed by Hermione, Rose and Mickey.

"Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong." Rose said as they made their way cautiously down the corridor. "When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school."

"Mine did." Hermione said.

"All right, team. Oh, I hate people who say 'team'. Um...'gang'. Um...'comrades'. Uh...anyway, Rose, go to the kitchen and get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers, go and check out the Maths department. Hermione and I are gonna look in Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes." He took Hermione's hand and they took off up the stairs.

The both of them walked down the corridor towards Finch's office. As they got closer they both spotted Sarah Jane at Finch's office door. They all heard a noise and Sarah Jane rushed away. Hermione and the Doctor followed her. They followed her into the gym and saw her staring at the TARDIS. She turned round and saw them.

"Hello, Sarah Jane." The Doctor said quietly.

"It's you. Oh...Doctor..." Sarah Jane whispered as a smile started to spread across her face as she edged towards him. "Oh, my God, it's you, it's...it's...you've regenerated."

"Half a dozen times since we last met." The Doctor smiled.

"You look...incredible."

"So do you."

"I got old." She edged around him, staring at him. "What're you doing here?"

"Well...UFO sightings, school gets record results, I couldn't resist. What about you?"

"Same." They laughed. Sarah Jane's smile faltered "I thought you'd died." She said sounding close to tears "I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must've died."

"I lived. Everyone else died." The Doctor told her sadly, Hermione squeezed his hand.

"What do you mean?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Everyone died, Sarah." The Doctor said in quiet pain as Hermione rested her head on his arm, hoping it was giving him comfort.

Sarah Jane shook her head and whispered in disbelief "I can't believe it's you." The moment was broken by the sound of someone wailing. "Okay! Now I can!"

They all grinned at each other and ran from the gym to find the source of the scream. They almost skidded into Rose who had ran from a converging corridor.

"Did you hear that?" she asked them before she spotted Sarah Jane. "Who's she?" she asked not too kindly.

"Rose, Sarah Jane! Sarah Jane, Rose." The Doctor introduced. Rose looked unpleasantly surprised as they shook hands.

Sarah Jane gave Rose a fake smile "Hi. Nice to meet you." She turned to the Doctor "You can tell you're getting older, your assistants are getting younger."

"I'm not his assistant." Rose said outraged. The Doctor scratched his ear uncomfortably as Hermione watched on amused by the situation.

"No? I get you, tiger." Sarah Jane smiled at the Doctor before she walked off with Rose behind her.

"I like her." Hermione told him as she pulled him along. The Doctor smiled at that, at least Hermione liked Sarah Jane. They found Mickey in one of the class rooms, surrounded by a load of vacuum-packed rats.

"Sorry! Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I, I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell out of them." Mickey told them.

The Doctor bent down and picked a few up to examine them. Hermione doing the same.

"Oh, my God, they're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats." Rose said looking at them in disgust.

"And you decided to scream." The Doctor said to Mickey.

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey defended.

"Like a little girl?"

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!" Mickey said indignantly.

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt."

Hermione snorted before slapping the Doctors chest "Be nice." She said.

"Hello, can we focus? Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?" Rose said.

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons. They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?" Sarah Jane asked Rose as the Doctor and Mickey looked shiftily between them.

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore. They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?"

"Some schools do." Hermione said, she wasn't going to allow Rose to treat Sarah Jane horribly, she knew Jackie had taught her better. "Quite a few do, it depends how well the school does. Mine did, we had to remove frog spleens and all." Sarah Jane smiled at Hermione as Rose glared at her.

"Anyway, moving on." The Doctor said quickly, sending Hermione a thankful smile for stopping the inevitable argument "Everything started when Mr Finch arrived. We should go and check his office." He chucked the rat he was holding back to Mickey, who dropped it. They followed the Doctor out and down the corridor.

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asked Sarah Jane, sounding the opposite of what she said.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor." Sarah Jane replied.

"Oh! Well, he's never mentioned you." Rose said.

Hermione quickly covered the Doctors mouth before he could dig a bigger grave. "Did you really stow away on the TARDIS?" Hermione asked her "Well that's what the Brigadier says. He told me all about his travels with the Doctor and told me some of yours."

"Yeah I did, how is the Brigadier?" Sarah Jane asked. Both of them ignoring Rose storming away.

"He good." Hermione said as she pulled Sarah Jane down the corridor, throwing the Doctor a smile over her shoulder.

Sarah Jane had just finished tell Hermione how she had stowed away when they came to Finch's office. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door of Mr Finch's office.

"Maybe those rats were food." He said.

"Food for what?" Rose asked still slightly annoyed.

The Doctor opened the door and peered inside, Hermione peering over his shoulder. There were some incredibly strange noises coming from there. The Doctor's eyes were fixed on the ceiling and Hermione's gaze followed his.

"Rose...you know you used to think all the teachers slept in the school...? Well...they do." The five looked at the bat-like creatures that were hanging upside down from the ceiling.

Mickey turned on his heel "No way!"

Sarah Jane and Rose quickly followed him. The Doctor and Hermione going last, shutting the door behind them.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose, Mickey and Sarah Jane hurried out of the front doors of the school.

"I am not going back in there. No way." Mickey said out of breath.

"Those were teachers!" Rose said shocked.

"When Finch arrived, he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people. Come on." The Doctor said turning back to go back in Hermione following him.

"Come on, you've got to be kidding!" Mickey called.

"I need the TARDIS. I've got to analyse that oil from the kitchen."

"I might be able to help you, there." Sarah Jane said smiling "I've got something to show you!" She grabbed the Doctor's arm and pulled him excitedly in the direction of the car park. Sarah Jane opened the boot of her car. Inside there was something covered with a green blanket. The Doctor pulled the blanket off to reveal a metal dog.

"K9!" the Doctor cheered delighted "Hermione Granger, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, allow me to introduce K9...Well, K9 Mark III to be precise." Mickey and Rose glanced at each other with an 'it's a tin dog' sort of expression. As Hermione looked at K9 with a curious smile on her face.

"Why does he look so... disco?" Rose asked.

"Oi! Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge!" the Doctor told them "What's happened to him?" he asked Sarah Jane.

"Oh, one day, he just...nothing!" she replied.

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired?"

"You said the year five thousand!" Hermione said "How would she find the parts?" she asked him. The Doctor just shrugged and turned back to K9.

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you? Eh?" the Doctor cooed. Mickey stared at him and Rose rolled her eyes. The Doctor stroked K9 making cooing noises. Hermione bent down to asked the Doctor questions about K9 as Sarah Jane threw Rose what could be described as a triumphant glance.

"Look," Rose snapped not liking being one upped by a tin dog "No offense but could you two just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog, we're busy!"

The Doctor closed the boot, grinning. Before getting into the passenger side of Sarah Jane's car.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Sarah Jane were sitting at a table by a window in a chip shop, chatting and laughing whilst the Doctor tried to fix K9, who has been placed on the table-top and Hermione wrote her report for the Ministry. Hermione could feel Rose's glare and from the look on Sarah Jane's face she could too.

"I thought of you on Christmas Day. This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead, I thought, 'Oh, yeah. Bet he's up there'." Sarah Jane said.

"Right on top of it, yeah." The Doctor nodded.

"And Rose?" Sarah Jane asked cautiously.

"She was there too and Hermione." He looked at Hermione and watched the concentrated look on her face. His eyes travelled down to her lips and he had to resist the urge to kiss her when he saw her nibbling on her bottom lip. Sarah Jane smiled at the look, she could tell the two like and maybe possibly loved each other. She also saw how well they worked together.

"Did I do something wrong?" Sarah Jane suddenly asked pulling the Doctor away from his admiration of Hermione. The Doctor blushed before looking at Sarah Jane "Because you never came back for me. You just...dumped me."

"I told you. I was called back home and in those days humans weren't allowed." The Doctor told her fiddling with some of K9's wires.

"I waited for you. I missed you." Sarah Jane said sadly. Hermione stood quietly and went over to the counter to allow the two some privacy.

"Tea, please." Hermione asked politely. Hermione watched the Doctor and Sarah Jane talk before taking her tea from the shopkeeper and paid them. She made her way back over when she saw K9 spring to life.

"Oh, hey! Now we're in business!" the Doctor leaped to his feet and stood in front of K9 as Hermione came and stood beside him.

"Master!" K9 called wagging his tail.

"He recognizes me!" the Doctor said ecstatic.

"Affirmative." Hermione smiled at the cuteness of the two.

"Rose, give us the oil."

Rose handed him the oil. The Doctor took off the lid of the jar and was just about to dip his finger in it.

"I wouldn't touch it, though, that dinner lady got all scalged." Rose told him quickly.

"I'm no dinner lady." The Doctor said seriously "And I don't often say that." He dipped his finger into the oil and K9 put out a sensor for the Doctor to smear it onto. "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go."

Hermione took the jar and took her own sample for the Ministry to analyse when she handed her report in.

"Oil. Ex, ex, ex, extract ana, an...Analysing..." K9 stuttered out.

"Listen to it, man! That's a voice!" Mickey said, grinning in delight.

"Careful! That's my dog!" Sarah Jane scolded and Mickey gave her a sheepish look.

"Confirmation of analysis: substance is Krillitane Oil." K9 said.

"They're Krillitanes." The Doctor said shocked.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked.

"Very." The Doctor said "Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad."

"So like three 11 year olds facing a giant three headed dog, killer plants and a giant deadly chess set in one night?" Hermione asked.

Everyone looked at her shocked "I'm asking you about that later." The Doctor said.

"And what are...Krillitanes?" Sarah Jane asked, still shocked at what Hermione said. Did that girl really face that at 11?

"They're a composite race. Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by, you've got bits, bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever...the Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well. They cherry-pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognize them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks." The Doctor told them.

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked.

"It's the children." The Doctor realised "They're doing something to the children."

oOo

Hermione, Mickey and Sarah Jane hoisted K9 into the boot of the car. Hermione had come to help knowing Rose was about to blow up about her not being the Doctors first and only companion, which Hermione found ridiculous. Rose had to know how old the Doctor was and that he had travelled before, did she think that he had been a loner all those years before he met her?

"So, what's the deal with the tin dog?" Mickey asked Sarah Jane.

"The Doctor likes travelling with an entourage. Sometimes they're humans, sometimes they're aliens, and sometimes...they're tin dogs." Sarah Jane said. Mickey smiled and gave a small laugh. "What about you? Where do you fit in the picture?"

"Me?" Mickey aske enthusiastically "I'm their Man in Havana. I'm the technical support, I'm...Oh, my God. I'm the tin dog." He sat down in shock. Sarah Jane grinned and patted him on the shoulder.

"No you're not." Hermione told him "You're important, you saved the world by blowing 10 Downing Street up. You're my best friend too, that also makes you important." Hermione smiled at him.

"So what's your story with the Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked Hermione.

"Met him when I was 8. Rose, we're cousin, she stopped Uncle Pete's, her dad's, death which resulted in a rupture in the universe. The Doctor tried to save the day, but Uncle Pete still died. I wasn't supposed to remember, but I did." Hermione smiled as she looked towards the chip shop when the Doctor and Rose came out.

"You love him." Sarah Jane stated.

Hermione blushed "He's my soulmate." Sarah Jane gasped, she knew that if Hermione felt the bond then the Doctor did too. She was happy he had finally found her.

"What does that mean?" Mickey asked.

"It means he's the only one for me." Hermione told him.

"Does he know you are?" Sarah Jane asked.

"I haven't told him and because he's a different species I don't know if he can feel the bond." Hermione sighed as she glanced back at the Doctor and Rose. She felt her magic flare when she saw Rose's annoyed stance and unhappy face. She knew it probably wasn't anything threatening that Rose was doing, but she hadn't been near her soulmate for a month and she needed to show her magic he was safe. She stood from her spot and headed towards them.

oOo

The Doctor left the chip shop followed by Rose. He looked over to Hermione and watched her talking with Sarah Jane and Mickey. He started to walk over wanting to get the story about the three headed dog from Hermione.

"How many of us have there been, travelling with you?" Rose asked from behind him.

"Does it matter?" The Doctor asked as he continued walking.

"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line." Rose said her voice trembling but with a hint of irritation that he wasn't paying her attention.

"As opposed to what?" the Doctor asked angry that someone was holding him back from his soulmate and hurt that Rose was accusing him off dumping his companions like they were nothing.

"I thought you and me were...but I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this...now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?"

"No. Not to you." He said abruptly, he would never do that to her. She was like the sister he always wanted.

"But Sarah Jane...you were that close to her once, and now...you never even mention her. Why not?"

"I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die." He looked over to Hermione when he realised that will happen to her "Imagine watching that happen to someone who you..." He stopped when he realised what he was about to say in front of Rose.

"What, Doctor?" Rose asked hopefully before she noticed who he was staring at when he said that. She crossed her arms and huffed, not seeing what he saw in her cousin.

Hermione stopped by them as the Doctor continued to stare at her. "You can spend the rest of your life with me." Hermione frowned at him "But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords."

"Time Lord." They heard whispered on the wind. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose noticed Mr Finch and a Krillitane on the roof. It screeched and swooped down towards them. They duck, but then it just flew away.

"Was that a Krillitane?" Sarah Jane asked as she ran over with Mickey.

"But it didn't even touch her, it just flew off! What did it do that for?" Rose asked as they all watched the Krillitane fly off into the night, screeching.

oOo

The next morning the Doctor, Hermione, Mickey, Rose and Sarah Jane got out of Sarah Jane's car and strode towards the school. The Doctor paused for a moment to give instructions.

"Hermione, Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." Rose held her hand out, but he handed his sonic screwdriver to Hermione who just handed it to Sarah Jane, as she had no idea how to use it. No one noticed Rose's peeved face. She hadn't been happy since last night as the Doctor had kept his entire attention on Hermione as she told him about her years at her magic school. Rose thought Hermione was just exaggerate somethings to seem more impressive. She was sure that there was never a giant snake that could kill by just looking into your eyes or a giant three headed dog called fluffy and she definitely knew Hermione was lying about the werewolf because she and the Doctor had just dealt with one and it was an alien not magic "Mickey, surveillance." The Doctor continued "I want you outside."

"Just stand outside?" Mickey asked.

Sarah Jane chucked him her car keys "Here, take these, you can keep K9 company."

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." The Doctor told him as they started to walk towards the school.

"But he's metal!" Mickey called.

"I didn't mean for him."

Hermione slapped the Doctors arm "Be nice."

"What're you gonna do?" Rose asked him.

"It's time I had a word with Mr Finch." The Doctor said before the four went their separate ways.

oOo

Hermione was sat on a computer desk watching Sarah Jane struggle with the sonic screwdriver under another desk. Hermione felt sorry that she couldn't help, but she had no idea how to use the sonic screwdriver. Sarah Jane came out from under the desk, hitting the keyboard and staring at the sonic screwdriver. Rose was just sat with her legs crossed on one of the chairs.

"It's not working!" Sarah Jane exclaimed.

"Give it to me." Rose said taking the sonic screwdriver off Sarah Jane, rolling her eyes, and ducking underneath the desk.

"Used to work first time in my day."

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then." Rose turned the sonic screwdriver on and it whirred and buzzed as she held it to the back of the computer.

"Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?" Sarah Jane asked.

Rose straightened "I've got a feeling you're about to."

"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I don't want you to feel I'm intruding..." Sarah Jane started.

"I don't feel threatened by you if that's what you mean." Rose said making Hermione snort. Rose just glared at Hermione.

"Right. Good. Because, I'm not interested in picking up where we left off." Sarah Jane said.

"No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?"

"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth..."

"The thing is...when you two met...they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for ya." Rose taunted walking a few paces away.

"Rose!" Hermione snapped having enough of Rose's attitude "You obviously have a problem with Sarah Jane. So what if you weren't the first companion, nether was Sarah Jane. The Doctor has had 43 companions before you, so stop."

"He hasn't." Rose snapped.

"He has. UNIT even has you on their files now. You're scared that he's going to get bored of you and dump you. But he won't. He has lost companions through death, their own decisions or his own people not allowing them on his planet. That's why he never told you about Sarah Jane, because it would hurt to do so." Hermione said and understanding passed through Sarah Jane's eyes. "Stop acting like a jealous child!" Hermione snapped.

Rose continued to glare at Hermione, she knew nothing and she should be taking her side not Sarah Janes. They were family, cousins. That was another thing the Doctor was hers, she met him first and he loved her. Hermione should know that and stand aside.

The Doctor walked in and stiffened at the look Rose was giving Hermione "How's it going?" he asked, they were cousins, of course they'd argue. No one answered him "What? Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." He walked forward and took the sonic screwdriver of Rose and bent under the desk to sonic the computer.

After a few minutes children tried to get inside the IT Suite "No, no, this classroom's out of bounds. You've all gotta go to the South Hall. Off you go, South Hall!" Hermione said and the children moved away and Hermione shut the door.

The Doctor, sonic screwdriver clenched between his teeth, ripped a handful of wires out of a computer and hung them around his neck as ran the sonic screwdriver along the back of the computer. Sarah Jane watched him, looking slightly anxious.

"I can't shift it." The Doctor huffed.

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah Jane said.

"Anything except a deadlock seal. There's gotta be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?"

Suddenly the computers came to life showing a code "You wanted the program, there it is." Sarah Jane said.

"Some sort of code..." the Doctor mumbled staring at it. The Doctor suddenly looked at the code with wide eyes and mouth slightly open "No...No, they can't be...The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm."

"What's the Skasis Paradigm?" Hermione asked him.

"The...God-maker. The universal theory." The Doctor told her "Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked.

"Yes." The Doctor started to pace around as he started to work everything out "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil! That oil from the kitchens, it works as a...as a...conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them." Rose gasped shocked.

"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?"

"Two thousand and sixty five." The Doctor gave Rose a 'that says it all' look. "Oh my God..." she whispered.

"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah Jane asked.

"No, it's gotta be children. The God-maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code...they're using their souls." The Doctor told them.

Behind him, Mr Finch walked into the room. "Let the lesson begin." The Doctor turned to face him. Standing in front of Hermione to protect her. Finch approached slowly "Think of it, Doctor, with the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mr Finch. Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are." The Doctor shot back.

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order. Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good."

"What, by someone like you?" the Doctor asked sceptically.

"No...Someone like you." Finch stated. The Doctor stayed silent, this was not the answer he was expecting. "The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God. At my side. Imagine what you could do, think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta...your own people, Doctor. Standing tall. The Time Lords...reborn." The Doctor still stayed silent, staring into Finch's eyes and not looking away.

"Doctor, don't listen to him." Sarah Jane pleaded.

Finch turned to her and Rose "And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young...fresh...never wither, never age...never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us." The Doctor had a faraway look in his eyes...terribly tempted.

"I could save everyone..." the Doctor said.

"Yes." Finch stated.

"I could stop the war..." the Doctor whispered. A small smile graced Finch's lips.

"No!" Hermione said as she stepped in front of the Doctor "You have to keep moving forwards. Look to the future, not the past. The pain and loss, they define who we are, who we become. If I could, I would save everyone I've watched die. But then I wouldn't be who I am now, I probably wouldn't love who I love now." she told him gazing intently into his eyes.

The Doctor stared into her eyes and hope swirled into his eyes at the love he saw there. Hermione's words seemed to strengthen his resolve. He gritted his teeth, picked up a chair and hurled it through the screen displaying the code, which smashed.

He grabbed Hermione's hand "Out!" he shouted.

They ran down the corridor and the stairs before they came across Mickey and Kenny at the bottom "What is going on?" Mickey asked.

The three Krillitanes half flew, half grope their way along the corridor towards them. The Doctor and the others turned on their heels and ran in the opposite direction. They ran into the canteen hall and tried the doors on the other side, but they were locked. The Doctor reached inside his coat for the sonic screwdriver, just as Mr Finch burst through the doors followed by several of the Krillitanes.

"Are they my teachers?" Kenny asked.

"Yeah. Sorry." The Doctor told him.

"Leave the Doctor alive." Finch said to the other Krillitanes "As for the others...you can feast."

The Krillitanes swooped down on them. The Doctor tried to beat them off with a chair as Hermione fired stunners at them. The others screamed, trying to duck out of the way, when suddenly, one of the Krillitanes was hit with a beam of red light and fell to the floor, dead, making Finch roar with rage.

"K9!" Sarah Jane cheered in relief.

"Suggest you engage running mode, Mistress." K9 called.

"Come on!" the Doctor called and he ran with the others to the doors. Hermione kept firing stunners as K9 shot at the Krillitanes again and again. "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative, Master. Maximum defence mode!"

Hermione suddenly felt her feet leave the floor as sharp claws scratched at her shoulders. She screamed in pain and before she knew it she was flying through the air. She felt herself collide with a hard surface and then blackness.

oOo

The Doctors hearts stopped when he had heard Hermione's pain. He had turned in time to see her being thrown into a wall and then landing on her head on the floor. He rushed forward pulling her up into his arm, making sure to grab her wand and carried her back to the door. He ushered the others through.

"Come on!" He slammed it shut behind them with his foot and gestured to Rose to lock it with his sonic screwdriver. They ran until they got to the Physics lab and entered. He quickly placed Hermione on the table and grabbed his screwdriver to scan her. He froze at the results. "No, no, no!"

"Doctor? Is she okay?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor ignored Mickey as he pressed his fingers to Hermione's neck. "No, no, no!" the Doctor repeated "Please no." tears started to fall from his eyes as he felt no pulse. He ran his hands through Hermione's hair and pulled away at the wetness he felt there. Sarah Jane gasped when she the blood on his hand. The Doctor just staggered backwards and slid against the wall to the floor as Mickey rushed forward to Hermione. "She's gone." The Doctor gasped out, his hearts breaking.

"Hermione?" Mickey called not wanting to believe his friend to be dead as the tears started to fall from his eyes. Rose looked sadly at her cousin, how would she explain this to her mum?

Suddenly black smoke filled the corner of the room as a black cloaked figure appeared. The figure slowly floated towards Hermione making everyone step back in shock and fear. The figure floated above Hermione before he spoke in a deep chilling voice.

"Awake Hermione Granger." Hermione gasped awake and stared at the figure before she groaned at the pain in her head. "You need to be more careful, Mistress."

"I'm not as bad as Harry." Hermione gasped out.

"That is true." The figure chuckled "Until next time, Mistress." He disappeared.

Hermione sat up and was suddenly embraced by a warm set of arms. Her magic swirled and she smiled wrapping her arms around her soulmate. The Doctor pulled away and cupped her face in his heads.

"What was that?" he asked his eyes looking her over and his hand running through her hair to find the blood gone and no injurie.

They all heard a screech "Later, we have more pressing matters." She told him.

The Doctor nodded and kissed her forehead before he turned to the others who stared at Hermione shocked. The Doctor stepped away and was replaced by Mickey who hugged Hermione tightly.

"It's the oil." The Doctor said after a moment "Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil! That's it!" he was slowly becoming himself once again now that his soulmate was alive and safe "They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them. How much was there in the kitchens?" he asked Rose.

Rose tore her eyes from Hermione "Barrels of it."

They jumped as the Krillitanes started to pound on the locked door, their claws ripping holes in it. "Okay, we need to get to the kitchens. Mickey..."

"What now, hold the coats?" Mickey asked irritated.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school. Take Hermione with you."

"I'm fine." Hermione said to him.

"No, you're too pale and I can't have that happening again." He told her, Hermione nodded when she saw the stubbornness in his eyes. "Now then, bats, bats, bats, how do we fight bats?"

Kenny strode over to a fire alarm, breaking the glass with his elbow and setting it off. The Krillitanes immediately wince and quail at the shrill sound. The Doctor beamed and flung open the door, the Krillitanes were in too much distress to hurt them. He and the others quickly ran past them.

oOo

Mickey burst into one of the IT Suites. He set Hermione down on a spare chair. "Okay, listen everyone, we've gotta get out of here." No one took any of notice of him. The children were all 'plugged into' the computers. Bewildered, Mickey stared at a monitor, then waved his hand in front of Melissa's face which elicited no response whatsoever.

Mickey moved to the front of the room to the head computer to try and stop the code, but didn't have much luck. He looked very confused, and then he noticed the protective casing covering the wires, winding around the walls of the room. He followed it and realised that all the cables led into one plug socket. He pulled it out. All the computers going dead and the socket exploded with sparks.

"Everyone get out, now!" Mickey shouted. The children immediately got to their feet and move towards the door, the trance now broken. "Come on, move! Let's go, let's go!"

Mickey caught up to the coward of children running out of the school, supporting Hermione around the waist. "Come on, guys! Let's go, let's go!"

"See. Important." Hermione smiled.

They made it out and made their way over to the Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane. The school suddenly exploded, making all the children cheer at the sight. Rose and Mickey joined in as Hermione made it over to the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

Hermione saw Sarah Jane's distraught face and noticed that K9 wasn't present. "I'm sorry." The Doctor said to Sarah Jane as he wrapped an arm around Hermione.

"It's all right." Sarah Jane said quickly "He was just a...daft metal dog. Fine, really."

The Doctor and Hermione wrapped their arounds around Sarah Jane as she cried. Hermione turned her head when she heard two cracks and smiled when she saw Harry and Kingsley.

"Hermione!" Harry called and rushed towards her. He took in her pale complexion and sighed before pulling her into a hug. The Doctor stiffened at the unknown male contact that his soulmate was receiving but he then relaxed when Hermione identified the male.

"Hello Harry." She said. "Kings."

"Hermione." Kingsley nodded.

"Here's my report and a sample of this oil that was being used on the chips." She handed everything to Kingsley that she had gotten "Also a boy named Kenny saw me doing magic and coming back to life." She gestured over to Kenny who was being cheered for blowing up the school. "Just wipe those bits out and leave him being a hero."

"Of course Hermione." Kingsley smiled. He looked to the Doctor and held his hand out "You must be the famous Doctor, Hermione has told me lots about you. I'm Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt."

"Pleasure." The Doctor replied shaking Kingsley's hand.

"Harry Potter." Harry said shaking the Doctors hand also.

"Ah, the danger magnet. Apparently your worse than me." the Doctor grinned.

Harry groaned "You've told him everything, haven't you."

"No!" Hermione said sarcastically with a smile "I'd never do that to you."

"Whatever. I'll go and sort out Kenny. It was good seeing you Hermione, will you be back for James birthday?"

"Like I'd ever miss my godson's birthday. I'm not Ronald." Hermione scoffed. "See ya, Harry."

Kingsley gestured for Hermione to follow him off to the side "I guess you will not be returning to work." He said smiling.

Hermione glanced at the Doctor and smiled "No. But I will visit."

"We wouldn't ask for anything else." He replied "Goodbye, Hermione."

"Goodbye, Kingsley."

oOo

Hermione sat on the captain's chair in the TARDIS. Kinsley had sent Harry back over and they had spent some time together and Harry had gotten to know the Doctor, Mickey, Rose and Sarah Jane. When it was time for him to leave Harry had pulled her aside and told her he approved off the Doctor, but warned her about her cousin. Harry could see the love in Rose's eyes and he hadn't liked it. It wasn't watch he called a natural love, more obsessive and possessive.

After that he had handed the Doctor his number in case they needed him. Harry had also given his number to Mickey too, he liked the man and was happy that Hermione had had him in her life before Hogwarts.

She felt someone sit next to her and looked up. She smiled at the Doctor. "You died." The Doctor stated.

"I know." Hermione said.

"How did you come back? Who was the cloaked figure?" Mickey asked.

Hermione sighed "For you to understand this I need to tell you a story. It is called _the Tale of the Three Brothers_ and it's told to magical children." Hermione rooted into her beaded bag and pulled out Dumbledore's _The Tales of the Beedle and the Bard_ and turned to the correct page before she read aloud:

"_***There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.**_

_**And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.**_

_**So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.**_

_**Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.**_

_**And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.**_

_**Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.**_" Hermione looked up and saw everyone was listening intently at the story. She looked back down to the book and continued. "_**The first brother travelled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, he sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.**_

_**That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.**_

_**And so Death took the first brother for his own.**_

_**Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had hoped once to marry before her untimely death appeared at once before him.**_

_**Yet she was silent and cold, separated from him as though by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.**_

_**And so Death took the second brother for his own.**_

_**But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went to him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.**_" Hermione closed the book and looked to everyone.

"That's a children's story?" Mickey asked "It's a bit dark isn't it."

"The wizarding world does things differently, they still have arrange marriages." Hermione told him.

"So what does this story have to do with you coming back from the dead?" Rose asked.

"The three objects that Death gave the brothers are known as the Deathly Hallows. If one person process all three they become the Master or Mistress of Death." Hermione rooted in her beaded bag again and pulled out a folded sheer piece of fabric. She unfolded it and revealed a long box. She opened it and to show a ward and a small slick black stone. She held up the wand "The Elder Wand." She placed it back and then picked up the stone "The Resurrection Stone." She placed that back and then stood and held the fabric up letting all of it unravel to show a cloak, she placed it around her shoulders and her body disappeared "The Cloak of Invisibility. I am the Mistress of Death."

"Awesome!" Mickey grinned "So that hooded figure was Death? How did you come to have all of the objects? Does this mean you're basically immortal?"

"Mickey, calm down." Hermione grinned "Yes that was Death, he's quite nice once you get to know him. Harry had the Hallows first, the Cloak was passed down from father to son in his family. The Wand belonged to our Headmaster. He had won it off a dark wizard, Dumbledore died but was disarmed before he was killed, Harry then disarmed that wizard and won the Wands allegiance. The Stone had been in the procession of an old family before Dumbledore found it and then he left it to Harry in his will. Harry used them after he won the war, there were still some rogue Death Eaters and he wanted to stay alive to have a family he always wanted. Obviously everything has died down and he only recently handed them to me. He at first wanted to hand them down to his first born, but he didn't want to put that responsibility on their shoulders, so he gave them to me."

"Does it make you immortal?" The Doctor asked her with hope in his eyes.

"Yes." She replied "If I keep them with me at all times. Harry didn't age for three years until everything settled. He then had placed them in the attic of his godfather's house away from his so he could start aging again." The Doctor beamed at her.

"That's great." The Doctor smiled. He was happy that he won't have to watch Hermione grow old and die.

"When's Sarah Jane getting here?"

"In about an hour." The Doctor told her "I made her a new K9." He grinned pleased.

"That great." Hermione smiled.

"So." the Doctor said "You wanna join us on our travels?" he asked her.

"I would love to." Hermione smiled. Neither noticing Rose's mood change at the request and positive answer.

oOo

Hermione had popped back home to grab some stuff that she might need and had then popped back to the TARDIS. She was talking to Mickey as Sarah Jane came in. Sarah Jane looked round the TARDIS and then turned to the Doctor.

"You've redecorated!" Sarah Jane said.

"Do you like it?" The Doctor asked.

Sarah Jane looked around again "Oh, I…I do. Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but uh...yeah. It'll do!"

"I love it." Rose said smiling.

"Hey, you, what's forty seven times three hundred and sixty nine?" Sarah Jane asked her.

"No idea. It's gone now, the oil's faded."

"But you're still clever. More than a match for him." Sarah Jane gestured to the Doctor.

Rose smiled "You and me both." Sarah Jane nodded. Rose looked to the Doctor who was pointing things out to Hermione on the console. Rose's smile fell at the look that the two gave each other. She swallowed thickly and glared internally at the two "Doctor...?" Rose called.

The Doctor looked over "Um...we're about to head off, but...you could come with us." The Doctor said to Sarah Jane.

Rose looked at her, smiling expectantly. Sarah Jane looked from happy face to happy face and then shook her head.

"No..." Sarah Jane said softly "I can't do this anymore." The Doctors and Rose's smiles faded slightly. "Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own." Sarah Jane said enthusiastically.

"Can I come?" Mickey suddenly asked. Sarah Jane looked surprised. Rose however, knew exactly what he meant and looked none too pleased. "No, not with you," Mickey said quickly to Sarah Jane "I mean...with you." He gestured to the Doctor. "'Cause I'm not the tin dog. And I wanna see what's out there." Rose mouthed 'no' at the Doctor and Hermione glared at her.

"That would be great Mickey." Hermione smiled encouragingly at him.

"Oh, go on, Doctor." Sarah Jane agreed "Sarah Jane Smith, a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board!"

"Okay then, I could do with a laugh." The Doctor said and his hearts warmed at the smile he got from Hermione. Mickey laughed in delight, but stopped quickly upon noticing Rose's lack of response.

"Rose, is that okay?" Mickey asked her.

"No, great. Why not?" Rose said sarcastically. There is a rather awkward silence.

"Well, I'd better go." Sarah Jane said she hugged Hermione quickly before she pulled Rose to the side wanting to try and sway her away from the Doctor as it was obvious that he and Hermione belonged together. She had never seen him so broken when Hermione had 'died'.

Hermione watched them a while before she walked over to a downtrodden Mickey "She has no say anyway Mickey, it's the Doctors ship." Hermione whispered "And I'm glad you're coming." She grinned getting one in return. It was silent as the Doctor walked Sarah Jane out of the door and Hermione walked over to Rose. "Stop pulling Mickey along, either you focus on him and only him, or you set him free to be with someone else. Because it's unfair for him to watch you fawn over another man."

The door opened and a grinning Doctor walked back in. Hermione moved from a glaring Rose and walked up to the console. The Doctor pressed some buttons and sent them into the Time Vortex.

"So where would our two newcomers like to go?" the Doctor asked.

Mickey and Hermione glanced at each other before Mickey gestured for her to decide "Well, in my third year at school I always had to go back in time. So maybe to the future?" Hermione said looking at Mickey to see if he liked the idea. Mickey nodded enthusiastically, liking the suggestion.

"The future it is." The Doctor grinned.


	4. Chapter 3: The Girl in the Fireplace

**Chapter 3: The Girl in the Fireplace**

The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS, closely followed by Hermione, Rose and Mickey. All three proceed to look around a dark, disused room of the spaceship.

Mickey looked round excitedly "It's a spaceship! Brilliant, I got a spaceship on my first go!"

Hermione smiled as she looked round amazed. "This is wonderful." Hermione said.

Rose looked round surprised "Looks kind of abandoned...Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here." The Doctor said "Well! Nothing dangerous. Well! Not that dangerous." Hermione raised her eyebrow making him pause "You know what, I'll just have a quick scan...in case there's anything dangerous." Hermione just smirked as he walked over to a control panel in the centre of the room and started tapping at some buttons.

"So, what's the date? How far we gone?" Hermione asked.

"About three thousand years into your future, give or take." He pulled on a switch and the lights turned on, the roof gradually opened into a window which showed a spectacular view of the stars outside. Hermione gasped as she stared at the stars in awe "Fifty-first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Hermione! Mickey! Two and a half galaxies!" Mickey had moved to a porthole, gazing out in awe, Rose walking over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders, smiling. The Doctor rummaged around the control panel, picking up bits and pieces of presumably broken technology and looking unimpressed. Hermione walked over to him and smiled.

"Thank you for bringing me." she said "I never thought I'd see anything like this. I've seen Mermaids and Unicorns, but this…" she trailed off.

The Doctor beamed "Thank you for coming." Then he frowned "Mermaids and Unicorns?"

Hermione smiled "Yep. I have books on them if you want to read them."

He nodded before he turned back to the control panel "Dear me, had some cowboys in here! Got a ton of repair work going on." He chucked the pieces down casually, noticing a screen with a diagram of the spaceship on it. Rose and Mickey joined him and Hermione to look at it. "Now that's odd," the Doctor said in curious surprise "Look at that. All the warp engines are going...full capacity! There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe...and we're not moving. So where's all that power going?"

"Where'd all the crew go?" Rose asked.

The Doctor leaned forward and tweaked some knobs on the control panel. "Good question, no life readings on board."

"Well, we're in deep space; they didn't just nip out for a quick fag." Rose joked.

"Nope, checked all the smoking pods." The Doctor said, taking her seriously. There was a pause as all four gazed around and the Doctor sniffed. "Can you smell that?"

Everyone sniffed and Hermione stiffened recognising the smell of burning flesh. The burning bodies of past classmates flashed through her mind before she pushed them back.

"Yeah, someone's cooking." Rose said.

"_Someone's_ cooking for sure." Hermione said scrunching her nose in disgust.

"Sunday roast, definitely!" Mickey said.

The Doctor pressed something else and a door opened behind them. They walked through and saw part of the wall and floor with 18th decor, as well as a lit fireplace.

"Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship." The Doctor said walking towards it as Hermione came up next to him. "Eighteenth century! French! Nice mantel." He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the fireplace. "Not a hologram." He bent down and examined it closely while Mickey and Rose explored the rest of the room. "Not even a reproduction, this actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double-sided, there's another room through there."

"There can't be, that's the outer hull of the ship, look." Rose said disbelievingly as she looked through a porthole.

Hermione crouched down and startled slightly seeing a young girl looking at her. "Hello." Hermione smiled as the Doctor came up beside her.

"Hello!" he grinned.

"Hello..." the young girl replied.

"What's your name?" the Doctor asked.

"Reinette." The young girl said.

"That's a lovely name, better than Hermione." Hermione said.

"I love the name Hermione." The Doctor said to Hermione making her blush. The Doctor beamed at the blush before turning back to Reinette "Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?"

"In my bedroom." Reinette answered slightly suspiciously.

"And where's your bedroom? Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course!"

"Paris, right!" he nodded.

"Monsieur, Mademoiselle, what are you doing in my fireplace?" Reinette asked them.

"Oh, it's just a routine...fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?" he asked.

"Of course I can! Seventeen hundred and twenty seven."

"Right, lovely! One of my favourites...August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Nice night!"

"Goodnight Monsieur, Mademoiselle." Reinette said to the two.

"Goodnight Reinette." Hermione smiled and she and the Doctor stood. The Doctor looked thoughtful.

"You said this was the fifty-first century." Mickey said.

"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe. I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink." The Doctor told him.

"What's that?" Mickey asked.

"No idea. Just made it up." The Doctor shrugged.

"You didn't want say 'magic door', did you?" Hermione smirked.

"Nah." He said smiling. "Doesn't sound as spacy and smart."

"And on the other side of the 'magic door' is France in 1727?" Rose asked.

The Doctor nodded and looked back at the fireplace before walking across the room, taking his coat off and throwing it in the corner. "Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too."

"She was speaking English, I heard her!" Mickey frowned.

Rose draped her arms around Mickey's neck as the Doctor strode back to the fireplace. "That's the TARDIS, translates for ya."

"Even French?!" Mickey asked.

"Yep." Rose smiled and glanced at the Doctor to see if he was seeing her closeness of her and Mickey. She just frowned when she saw he was not looking at her but whispering to Hermione, as she pointed things out on the fireplace. Rose scowled before turning her attention back to Mickey.

The Doctor suddenly kneed the side of the fireplace and that section of the wall began to rotate, just like in a horror movie, taking the Doctor and Hermione with it.

"Gotcha!" he grinned to Hermione.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted.

Once the fireplace had finished turning, the Doctor and Hermione found themselves standing in a dark and shadowy bedroom, with Reinette asleep. The ticking of a clock could be heard as the Doctor wandered towards the window pulling Hermione with him. A Paris skyline could be seen, and it was snowing. Hermione gasped at the beauty of it all as the neigh of a horse was heard. The Doctor and Hermione turned round when they heard Reinette sit up in her bed.

"It's okay!" Hermione said as she moved over to Reinette. "Remember me, Hermione and that's…"

"…the fireplace man." The Doctor said moving over to the candle on Reinette's bedside table and lit it with his sonic screwdriver. But she still looked startled "We were talking, just a moment ago. We were in your fireplace."

"Monsieur, Mademoiselle, that was weeks ago. That was months!" Reinette exclaimed.

"Really?" the Doctor asked surprise and Hermione looked curiously over at the fireplace. "Oh." He walked back to the fireplace and knocked on it, listening to the sound produced. "Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in."

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" Reinette asked the two. The Doctor didn't reply.

"I'm Hermione, like I said and that's..."

"Okay, that's scary..." the Doctor said cutting Hermione off. Hermione looked over and saw the Doctor staring at the clock on the mantel with his mouth open, looking slightly fearful.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reinette asked him sceptically.

"Just a bit scared, yeah. Just a little tiny bit. 'Cause you see, if this clock's broken, and it's the only clock in the room..." The Doctor paused, turning to look back at Reinette and Hermione.

Hermione looked over his shoulder to see the glass face on the clock was broken "What's that ticking then?" Hermione asked as the ticking grew louder. Reinette looked around, clearly scared again. The Doctor barely moved, speaking slowly and quietly. As Hermione sat herself next to Reinette and wrapped an arm around her.

"'Cause you see that's not a clock. You can tell by the resonance. Too big. Six feet, I'd say. Size of a man." The Doctor explained.

"What is it?" Reinette asked as the Doctor checked behind the curtains, finding nothing. He was speaking more quickly now, spilling out his thought processes.

"Now, let's think. If you were a thing that ticks and you were hiding in someone's bedroom, first thing you do: break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two?" he paused "You might start to wonder if you're really alone." He moved toward the bed and crouched down, giving Reinette instructions as he pulled the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "Stay on the bed with Hermione. Right in the middle. Don't put your hands or feet over the edge." Hermione moved her feet on the bed and pulled Reinette closer. The Doctor peered underneath the bed before turning on the sonic screwdriver to scan. Suddenly something smacked the Doctor backwards, knocking the screwdriver out of his hand. Reinette gasped and the Doctor scrambled back to look underneath. The Doctor slowly resumed crouching, looking at Reinette with wide eyes. "Reinette..." he whispered "Don't look round." Hermione turned her head slightly and saw a figure out the corner of her eye. It was wearing a creepy clown-like mask and leering down at Reinette, who looked terrified. "You stay exactly where you are." The Doctor said to Reinette as he stood up to look straight at the figure. He glanced back at Reinette, then at the figure, and then back at Reinette, discomforted by something. "Hold still, let me look..." He bent down and grasped Reinette's head between his hands, staring intently into her eyes with a disturbed expression before looking back at the figure. "You've been scanning her brain!" He exclaimed shocked. He paused, looking once more into Reinette's eyes before standing up straight again. He was horrified and incredulous at what he was finding. "What, you've crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child's brain? What could there be in a little girl's mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?"

"I don't understand...it wants me?!" Reinette asked shocked, she turned to look at the figure as Hermione stood from the bed and pulled Reinette closer to her at the edge "You want me?" she asked the figure.

The figure's head twitched to one side and it spoke in a distinctly mechanical voice. "Not yet. You are incomplete."

"'Incomplete'?" the Doctor asked "What's that mean, incomplete?" The figure didn't answer, but continued staring at Reinette. The Doctor stood up and spoke in a firm but slightly irritated voice, producing the sonic screwdriver and pointing it threateningly at the figure. "You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean, 'incomplete'?"

The figure again didn't answer, instead it walked in jerky movements around the bed to face the Doctor. The Doctor pushed Hermione behind him as the figure extended an arm and a menacing looking blade slid out near the Doctor's face making him tilt his head away.

"Monsieur, Mademoiselle, be careful!" Reinette called.

"Just a nightmare, Reinette, don't worry about it. Everyone has nightmares." The Doctor told her backing away with Hermione, the figure pursuing them. It swiped at the Doctor who jumped back with Hermione, both reaching the fireplace. "Even monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don't you, monster?" The figure slashed at the Doctor again. He jumped aside pulling Hermione with him, and the figure's blade hit the mantel, getting stuck.

"What do monsters have nightmares about?" Reinette asked the Doctor as the figure struggled.

The Doctor took the opportunity to turn the fireplace around "Me, ha!" he grinned and Reinette smiled as the figure, the Doctor and Hermione disappeared from her view.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted as the fireplace finished turning, the Doctor ran and grabbed a gun-like object from the wall, using it to spray ice at the figure. It convulsed in a last, vain attempt to free itself before freezing completely.

"Excellent, ice gun!" Mickey said appreciatively as the Doctor calmly threw the 'gun' to Rose, who caught it.

"Fire extinguisher." The Doctor said.

Rose looked at the figure "Where did that thing come from?" she asked.

"Here."

"So why is it dressed like that?" Mickey asked.

"Field trip to France, some kind of basic camouflage protocol; nice needlework!" the Doctor replied "Shame about the face." He walked back over to the figure, squinting at it. He pulled off the wig to reveal its actual head: an ornate clockwork mechanism, covered with a clear plastic egg shape. The Doctor couldn't help but admire it with near giddy excitement. Hermione doing the same as she walked around figure.

"Beautiful." Hermione said.

"Oh, you are beautiful!" The Doctor agreed, Hermione not noticing the Doctor sending her a glance when he said it. Mickey and Rose edged closer in curiosity, Mickey smiling when he saw the Doctors glance. He had been overly happy since Hermione mentioned about the Doctor being her soulmate. He had also seen how heartbroken the Doctor had been when Hermione 'died'. The Doctor put his glasses on as he examined the clockwork more closely "No really, you are, you're gorgeous! Look at that! Space age clockwork, I love it! I've got chills! Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart, and, by the way, count those, it would be a crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you." He took one last wistful look at the figure before holding up the sonic screwdriver. "But that won't stop me." The figure creaked back into life and teleported away. Hermione, Rose and Mickey blinked and looked around, and the Doctor stuffed the screwdriver back into his pocket and walked swiftly back to the fireplace and preparing to go back to the other side. Hermione joined his side knowing what he was planning and wanting to, herself, to check and see if Reinette was alright. "Short range teleport, can't have got far. Could still be on board."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

The Doctor pointed at Mickey and Rose "Don't go looking for it!"

"Where're you going?"

"Back in a sec." And he turned the fireplace. The Doctor and Hermione stepped away from the fireplace. Hermione noticed the room had changed and was now a plush bedroom of red and gold, remaining her of the Gryffindor dorm rooms. "Reinette...Just checking you're okay..." the Doctor called out as he idly brushed a hand across the strings of a harp making Hermione slap his hand away.

"Don't touch, you might break it." Hermione whispered as a beautiful young woman, walked into the room. She paused seeing Hermione and the Doctor. The Doctor seemed not to notice her, but Hermione did.

The woman cleared her throat catching the Doctor's attention. "Oh! Hello!" He quickly put away his glasses, clearly surprised at not noticing the woman's appearance in the room "Um, we're was just looking for Reinette. Uh, this is still her room, isn't it? We've been away, not sure how long."

"_Reinette! We're ready to go!"_ a voice called from outside the room.

"Go to the carriage, mother, I will join you there." Reinette answered over her shoulder. A grin of realisation spread across the Doctor's face and Hermione smiled. "It is customary, I think, to have an imaginary friend only during one's childhood." She teased at them "You are to be congratulated on your persistence."

"Hello, Reinette." Hermione greeted. "How've you grown."

Reinette approached them "And you both do not appear to have aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you."

"Right...yes...sorry. Um...umm...umm…listen, lovely to catch up, but er, better be off, eh?" the Doctor stuttered caught off guard by Reinette's sudden appearance and age "Don't want your mother finding you up here with a strange man and woman, do we?"

"Strange?" Reinette asked "How could you be a stranger to me? I have known you both since I was seven years old." She told the two.

"Yeah...I suppose you have." He gave a small laugh "We came the quick route." Reinette touched the Doctors cheek before doing the same to Hermione, examining them.

"Well, you both seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd. Reason tells me you cannot be real."

"But we are." Hermione said.

The Doctor shook his head "Oh, pfft...You never want to listen to reason..."

"_Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient."_ Another voice said outside the room.

"A moment!" Reinette called back annoyed at the interruption. She looked back at the Doctor. "So many questions. So little time." She went to pull the Doctor down for a kiss but he quickly stepped back pulling Hermione with him. He pulled Hermione close to him, not noticing how tense she had gotten as she tried to rain in her magic. She didn't want it to lash out at Reinette.

Reinette looked at the two and frowned not used to men not accepting her advances. She then noticed how close the two were stood, again she wasn't used to men not accepting her advances, even if they were married. But then she saw the emotion in the fireplace man's eyes when he glanced at Hermione. He was in love with the girl form her childhood and so was Hermione with him, when she saw the girl smiled at him. Suddenly Reinette felt guilty for trying to do what she had done. She'd never want to ruin the love two people had for each other, she always wanted to have a man to look at her like that.

"Apologise." She told them "If I had known the two…"

"_Mademoiselle Poisson!"_ the voice from outside the room was closer.

Reinette smiled apologetically at them before she ran to the open door, grabbing a purse from her dressing table as she went, without so much as a backward glance. The servant came to the door but stopped dead as he noticed the Doctor and Hermione.

"Poisson?" Hermione frowned recognising the surname.

"Reinette Poisson?" The Doctor asked. The servant looked bemused by the Doctors and Hermione's presence. "No...no, no, no, no, no way, Reinette Poisson?!" he ran right up to the manservant, as though interrogating him but not letting him get a word in "Later Madame Etoiles? Later still mistress of Louis the Fifteenth, uncrowned Queen of France?"

He ran back to Hermione and the fireplace as Hermione continued where the Doctor had left off, now recognising the name. "Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan?"

"Fantastic gardener!" the Doctor laughed.

"Who the hell are you?!" the servant asked them.

The Doctor reached for the fireplace and found the trigger back to the ship. Hermione stepped next to him.

"I'm the Doctor. She's Hermione." The Doctor said giddily "And we just met Madame de Pompadour!" The fireplace revolved again, taking the Doctor and Hermione back to the ship as the Doctor laughed manically. They stepped back onto the ship. "Rose!" the Doctor called, but there was no reply.

"Mickey?" Hermione called.

The Doctor strode forward, peeved "Every time, every time, it's rule one, don't wander off! I tell them, I do, rule one! There could be anything on this ship!" He turned the corner and was met by a white horse in the middle of the corridor. The Doctor blinked while the horse whined.

"Well you did say anything." Hermione chuckled.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione crossed a junction of corridors, both looking completely lost. They had been looking round for a couple of minutes and Hermione was beginning to give up. She had noticed a change in her cousin, she seemed more danger prone and ruder than she used to be. But to be honest, Hermione hadn't known her cousin well since she received her letter from Hogwarts. She saw Rose and Aunt Jackie less, opting to stay in the wizarding world during the holidays. To be honest she didn't know her cousin anymore and that made her feel guilty.

"Rose?" the Doctor called in a childlike voice. Hermione smirked as the horse continued to follow the Doctor and her. The Doctor stopped to look down a corridor before turning to the horse. "Will you stop following me? I'm not your mother!" The horse just nosed him and the Doctor turned to Hermione pouting "Can't you use magic to make him leave us alone?"

Hermione face planted her hand in realisation "Magic!" she exclaimed "I can use magic to find Rose and Mickey." A breeze ruffled Hermione's hair, making her huff in frustration before she glanced to the side and spotted a set of white, French double doors. "So this is where you came from, Arthur?" Hermione asked the horse.

"Arthur?" the Doctor asked.

"He's the Arthur to my Merlin." Hermione smiled as she opened the doors wider.

"Who am I to you then?" the Doctor asked.

Hermione just walked through the doors "The Sir Lancelot to my Guinevere." She mumbled quietly, not seeing the goofy grin on the Doctors face as he heard what she said.

The Doctor and Hermione walked out onto a grassy courtyard, in Versailles. They saw a familiar figure walking with another lady. The Doctor and Hermione walked to a low wall with a pillar and an urn on top.

Two ladies laughed, walking arm in arm. "Oh, Catherine, you are too wicked!" Reinette said. Reinette suddenly turned around as though she has spotted something out of the corner of her eye. The Doctor and Hermione ducked down behind the pillar just in time.

"Oh, speaking of wicked, I hear Madame de Chateneux is ill and close to death." Catherine said pulling Reinette's attention, the Doctor and Hermione straighten up and lean on the wall.

"Yes." Reinette said seriously "I am devastated." she laughed.

"Oh, indeed. I myself am frequently inconsolable." Catherine laughed also. "The King will therefore be requiring a new mistress. You love the King, of course?"

"He is the King. And I love him with all my heart. And I look forward to meeting him." Catherine laughed as Reinette turned back, convinced she was being watched. The Doctor and Hermione ducked behind the pillar again.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" Catherine asked her.

"Not wrong, no." Reinette turned back to her. The Doctor and Hermione straighten up a little. After a pause, the ladies linked arms and walked again. The Doctor and Hermione straightened up fully and lean on the wall again.

"Every woman in Paris knows your ambitions." Catherine stated.

"Every woman in Paris shares them." Reinette replied.

"You know of course that the King is to attend the Yew Tree ball?" The sound of their voices fade into the distance.

The Doctor held his arm out to Hermione "Would you care for a walk around the gardens of Versailles."

"I would love to." Hermione smiled, slipping her arm into his as he started to lead her around the gardens.

oOo

"Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?" Mickey asked looking through the window in to a beautiful room.

The Doctor and Hermione came up behind Rose and Mickey. Hermione had finally used her magic to find the two after they had finished their walk around the gardens. Hermione had loved it, they had talked a lot. The Doctor had told her all about Gallifrey, his people and the Time War, about how he had killed his people to stop it spreading to the entire universe. She knew he felt guilty for what he did. She had told him that if he hadn't done what he had then the universe would no longer exist.

"King of France." The Doctor said startling Mickey.

"Oh, here's trouble." Rose smiled at him ignoring Hermione completely "What you been up to?"

The Doctor watched the king as he stood before the mirror "Oh, this and that…" the Doctor said.

"…Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat..." Hermione continued.

"…Picked a fight with a clockwork man..." The Doctor finished. The horse whined from around the corner. "Oh, and we met a horse." The horse trotted into view.

"He's called Arthur." Hermione said.

"What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" Mickey asked.

"Mickey, what's pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective." The Doctor rolled his eyes before looking through the window. The Doctor pointed "See these? They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history..." He placed a finger on the glass as Reinette entered the room. "Hers. Time window...deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?"

"Who is she?" Rose asked.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived." Hermione answered remembering what she had learnt from school and books. This woman was her mother's favourite.

"So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?"

"No, he's already got a Queen." The Doctor said "She's got plans of being his mistress."

"Oh, I get it. Camilla." Rose and Mickey laughed.

The King left the room "I think this is the night they met." The Doctor said.

"It is." Hermione said "The night of the Yew Tree ball. All she had to do was dance with the King. In no time flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace...even her own title, Madame de Pompadour." Reinette stood before the mirror, preening herself.

"Queen must have loved her..." Rose scoffed.

"Oh, she did. They get on very well." The Doctor nodded.

"The King's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Mickey asked.

"France. It's a different planet." Hermione looked through the window when she heard ticking and saw a clockwork figure in the corner of the room, with its back to them.

"Doctor." Hermione whispered.

Hermione saw Reinette turn, eyes wide with fear. "How long have you been standing there? Show yourself!" Reinette demanded. The figure turned suddenly and started to advance.

The Doctor quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher from Mickey and swung the mirror around so he could step back into Reinette's world. "Hello, Reinette. Hasn't time flown?"

"Fireplace man! Hermione!" Reinette said as Hermione pulled her back as the Doctor stepped past her and sprayed the figure with the fire extinguisher until it was immobile. He threw the extinguisher back to Mickey. The figure started to click and whirr loudly.

"What's it doing?" Mickey asked.

"Switching back on. Melting the ice." The Doctor said watching the figure closely.

"And then what?" Hermione asked.

"Then it kills everyone in the room." The figures arm shot out towards the Doctors throat, he jumped back towards Hermione and Reinette. "Focuses the mind, doesn't it?" addressing the clockwork woman "Who are you? Identify yourself." The figure cocked its head but didn't answer. "Order it to answer me." the Doctor said to Reinette.

"Why should it listen to me?" Reinette asked.

"I don't know. It did when you were a child. Let's see if you've still got it."

Reinette looked to the figure "Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you." Reinette ordered and the figure lowered its arm.

"I am repair droid seven." The figure stated.

"So what happened to the ship, then?" the Doctor asked "There was a lot of damage."

"Ion storm, eighty two percent systems failure." The figure answered.

"That ship hasn't moved in over a year. What's taken you so long?"

"We did not have the parts."

Mickey laughed "Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts."

"What's happened to the crew, where are they?" the Doctor asked.

"We did not have the parts." The figure stated again. Hermione's eyes widened when she realised what the figure meant and remembering the smell of flesh cooking.

"There should have been over fifty people on your ship." The Doctor persisted. "Where did they go?"

"We did not have the parts."

"Fifty people don't just disappear! Where...?" that was when it dawned on the Doctor "Oh. You didn't have the parts, so you used the crew."

"The crew?" Mickey asked frowning.

"We found a camera with an eye in it...and there was a heart...wired in to machinery." Rose recalled.

"It was just what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship any way it can, with whatever it could find. No-one told it the crew weren't on the menu. What did you say the flight deck smelt of?" the Doctor asked Rose.

"Someone cooking..." she said quietly.

"Flesh plus heat. Barbeque." Reinette looked slightly sick. "But what are you doing here? You've opened up time windows, that takes colossal energy. Why come here, you could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to eighteenth century France? Why?"

"One more part is required." The figure stated and its head jerked towards Reinette. The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Mickey stared at her.

Hermione looked at the figure and frowned "Then why haven't you taken it?" she asked it.

"She is incomplete." The figure stated.

"What...so, that's the plan then? Just keep opening up more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she's 'done yet'?" the Doctor scoffed.

"Why her?" Rose asked suddenly and the Doctor turned to her, surprised at the abruptness of this question. Rose felt pride shift through her at the look she got from him and continued hoping to impress him "You've got all of history to choose from, why specifically her?"

"We are the same." The figure stated, making Hermione frown in thought.

"We are not the same, we are in no sense the same!" Reinette snapped.

"We are the same." It stated again.

"Get out of here! Get out of here this instance!" Reinette angrily advanced.

"Reinette, no!" the Doctor called, the figure activated a teleport and disappeared. "It's back on the ship. Rose, take Mickey and Arthur, get after it. Follow it, don't approach it, just watch what it does." He told them.

"Arthur?" Rose asked.

The Doctor frowned, didn't Hermione say the horse was called Arthur? Shaking his head he answered "Good name for a horse."

"No, you're not keeping the horse!" Rose said exasperated.

"I let you keep Mickey!" the Doctor pouted.

"And I'm letting you keep Hermione." Mickey grinned putting a hand on the Doctor's shoulder, ignoring Rose's glare at the statement. Hermione blushed and then smacked Mickey in the back of the head. "Oi!"

"Now go, go, go!" the Doctor said chuckling at Mickey rubbing his head. Mickey and Rose ran back through the mirror portal. The Doctor closed it behind them and turned back to Reinette. "Reinette, you're going to have to trust me. I need to find out what they're looking for, there's only one way I can do that. Won't hurt a bit." Reinette nodded her assent.

"I'll make sure no one enters." Hermione said as she walked towards the door of the room and stood just outside.

The Doctor placed his fingers on Reinette's temples and closed his eyes. Reinette also closed hers. "Fireplace man...you are inside my mind." Reinette said after a moment.

"Oh dear, Reinette. You've had some cowboys in here." The Doctor said.

"You are in my memories. You walk among them."

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won't look." The Doctor paused "Ooh…actually...there's a door just there." Reinette opened her eyes and grinned slyly. "You might want to clo...Ooh. Actually, several."

"To walk among the memories of another living soul...do you ever get used to this?" Reinette asked.

"I don't make a habit of it." He answered.

"How can you resist?"

"What age are you?" the Doctor asked.

"So impertinent a question so early in the conversation. How promising."

"No, not my question, theirs. You're twenty-three and for some reason, that means you're not old enough." Reinette flinched. "Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect."

"Oh, such a lonely childhood..." Reinette breathed.

"It'll pass. Stay with me." the Doctor said.

"Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone."

"What do you mean, alone? You've never been alone in your life..." His eyes snapped open and he frowned "When did you start calling me 'Doctor'?"

"Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then…but not now, not with her around." Reinette's eyes opened "Your soulmate, so beautiful."

The Doctor stepped away shocked "How did you do that?"

"A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction..." The Doctor stared at her, vulnerable. "Oh, Doctor." Reinette said softly stepping towards him "Does she know?" the Doctor stared and turned his gaze to where Hermione was keeping watch "My Doctor. Dance with me."

"I can't." the Doctor warned.

"Dance with me." Reinette said more adamantly.

"This is the night you dance with the King."

"Then first, I shall make him jealous. Unless you wish to dance with another?" Reinette teased looking at Hermione knowingly and back to him.

"I can't." he said, staring wistfully at Hermione.

Reinette sighed a plan forming in her mind about how to get the two together "Doctor...Doctor who?" She looked at him for a few moments. "It's more than just a secret, isn't it? A secret only _she_ can know."

"What did you see?" the Doctor asked.

"That there comes a time, Time Lord, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance." Reinette smiled "Especially with his one and only." She took his hand, leading him away, grabbing Hermione's as well.

oOo

Hermione was giggling as the Doctor led her through the corridors as the Doctor sung as loudly as he could, wearing sunglasses and his tie around his head. Hermione was dressed in a beautiful blue and silver gown with her hair in an elaborate bun. When the Doctor had seen her, he was speechless and from the knowing smirk on Reinette's face that was what she had been aiming for. He couldn't stop himself from having every dance with Hermione, almost even pushing the King himself away.

"_I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night..." _The Doctor sung as he pulled Hermione into a room, staggering slightly, he then pulled Hermione to him and started dancing making Hermione laugh. They danced up to where Mickey and Rose were strapped to tables before the Doctor dipped Hermione making her laugh louder and hold onto him tightly _"And still have begged for moooore...I could've spread my wings and done a thou..._have you met the French?" the Doctor asked as he righted Hermione, Mickey looked bemused. "My...god, they know how to party."

"Oh, look at what the cat dragged in. The Oncoming Storm." Rose said sarcastically.

"Oh, you sound just like your mother." The Doctor said with a grimace.

"What've you been doing? Where've you been?!" Rose said crossly, annoyed that he had been having fun with Hermione as she had been tied up and threatened.

"Well...among other things, I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early." The Doctor said as Rose laid back, exasperated. "Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before!" He leaned over her. "Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good." He said seriously. He spotted the figures as Hermione sat down shaking her head at him "Oh ho ho ho ho, brilliant. It's you!" he exclaimed delighted "You're my favourite, you are, you are the best! Do you know why? 'Cause you're so thick. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania." He paused and added as an afterthought "And so's your dad." Hermione snorted as the Doctor strolled away. "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" he sniggered "Her milometer."

Mickey and Rose looked confused so Hermione elaborated for them. "They want to know how old she is. Know why?"

"'Cause this ship is thirty-seven years old." The Doctor continued "And they think that when Reinette is thirty-seven, when she's 'complete', then her brain will be compatible. So, that's what you're missing, isn't it?" the Doctor asked. He stared one of the figures mockingly in the face. "Hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do."

"The brain is compatible." The figure stated.

"Compatible?" he approached the figure "If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine." He removed the figures mask and poured the 'wine' into the clockwork inside the head of the droid. He replaced the mask and patted it on the head. The figure winded down making Rose lean back in relief. "Multigrain anti-oil." The Doctor said suddenly sober "If it moves, it doesn't." A figure from the corner of the room began to advance, but the Doctor quickly deactivated it using a nearby lever, the others following it. "Right, you two, that's enough lying about..." He released Rose and Mickey quickly with the sonic screwdriver, and they slid down the tables onto the floor. "Time we got the rest of the ship turned off."

"Are those things safe?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor pulled his tie down from his head and pushed the sunglasses up "Yep. Safe. Safe and thick. Way I like them. Okay, all the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down." he felt his pockets "Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs?" he looked around for them "I had them a minute ago, I was using them as castanets."

"I think you gave them to that Count." Hermione said as she flung a silent spell at one of the figures. Mickey frowned when he saw her "This is the Doctor were talking about." she whispered to him making Mickey grin.

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?" Rose asked.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they'll be lucky to hit the right century. Trial and error after that." The Doctor tried to operate the computer. "The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?"

There was an ominous pinging sound. "What's that?" Rose asked.

"I don't know... incoming message?"

"From who?" Mickey wondered.

"Report from the field...one of them must still be out there with Reinette! That's why I can't close the windows, there's an override!" Behind him, one of the clockwork figures sprang to life with a whirring sound. The figure expelled the 'wine' the Doctor poured into its mechanics over the Doctor's shoe. "Well, that was a bit clever." The rest of the figures sprung to life, filling the room with ticking. "Right...many things about this are not good." The pinging sounded again. "Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?"

"She is complete." The figure stated "It begins." They all teleported out.

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"One of them must've found the right time window, and now it's time to send in the troops. And this time they're bringing back her head." The Doctor answer glumly.

"Lucky for you I placed a tracker on one of them." Hermione said standing "It won't take long to find the time window."

"Oh, you brilliant witch!" the Doctor grinned kissing the top of her head.

oOo

The Doctor was working frantically as Rose joined him, Hermione and Mickey at the time window, after warning Reinette about her future. Hermione was now back in her normal clothes and her wild curls spilling around her shoulders once again.

"You found it, then?" Rose asked.

"They knew I was coming." The Doctor said "They blocked it off."

Rose looked through the time window "I don't get it. How come they got in there?"

"They teleported, you saw them." Hermione said not understanding why Rose kept asking questions she had already been told or seen the answers to. Hermione really didn't have the time for those people.

"As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleports will do the trick." The Doctor added.

"Well, we'll go in the TARDIS!" Rose said.

"We can't use the TARDIS." Hermione said.

"How would you know?" Rose snapped not appreciating how Hermione kept putting her down.

"We're part of events now." Hermione stated, recalling what she had learned when she was given the Time Turner when she was 13. She had read both muggle science books and wizarding books on time travel.

"Well, can't we just smash through it?" Mickey asked.

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other. We need a truck." The Doctor said quickly still rushing around.

"We don't have a truck." Mickey stated.

"I know we don't have a truck!" the Doctor shouted.

Hermione looked to the side when she heard a soft neigh and smiled at Arthur before and idea came to her.

"Well, we've gotta try something!" Rose cried.

"Doctor…" Hermione called.

"No, smash the glass, smash the time window, they'd be no way back." the Doctor said.

"Doctor…" Hermione tried again.

"What?" he called turning to her. He frowned when he saw Arthur behind her and then realisation came to him.

oOo

"Can everyone just calm down?" Reinette called to everyone in the ballroom "Please. Such a commotion. Such distressing noise. Kindly remember that this is Versailles. This is the Royal Court. And we are French." She turned to the figures. "I have made a decision. And my decision is 'no', I shall not be going with you today. I have seen your world, and I have no desire to set foot there again."

"We do not require your feet." One of the figures stated.

Two figures came up on either side of Reinette and pushed her to her knees. They pointed their weapons at her neck. The 'chief' figure approached her and also pointed his weapon at her. Reinette looked up at him. "You think I fear you. But I do not fear you, even now. You are merely the nightmare of my childhood. The monster from under my bed. And if my nightmare can return to plague me, then rest assured," she lowered her voice to a whisper "so will yours."

The sound of a horse whinnying was heard in the distance. Reinette, the figures, and the guests all looked around for the source of the sound. It was followed by galloping hooves, and after a few moments, the horse leaped through the glass of a large mirror on the wall, the Doctor and Hermione on his back. The guests shrieked and Reinette's mouth dropped open. The Doctor winked and Hermione smiled as they trotted past her. The horse came to a halt and the Doctor dropped down reaching up to help Hermione down.

"Madame de Pompadour." The Doctor greeted "You look younger every day." Reinette could only smile at that.

"What the hell is going on?" the King demanded.

"Oh, this is my lover, the King of France." Reinette told the Doctor and Hermione.

"Yeah?" the Doctor asked eyeing the king "Well, I'm the Lord of Time." he approached the chief figure "And I'm here to fix the clock." He removed the mask of the figure, revealing the clockwork underneath, which elicited a gasp from the crowd. The figure pointed its weapon at the Doctor and Hermione. "Forget it. It's over. For you and for us." He glanced up at the broken mirror seeing only a brick wall behind it. "Talk about seven year's bad luck. Try three thousand..." The figure cocked its head to look at the mirror before trying to repeatedly use its teleport, to no avail. It turned to the Doctor. "The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don't have the parts. How many ticks left in that clockwork heart? A day? An hour? It's over. Accept that. I'm not winding you up."

The figure finally wound down and goes dead. The other figures followed suit and slumped forwards. One of them falling backwards causing the clockwork to smash over the floor. The guests whispered amongst one another as the Doctor held out a hand to Reinette.

"You all right?" Hermione asked her. Reinette nodded and took the Doctors hand and he pulled her to her feet.

"What's happened to them?" Reinette asked him.

"They've stopped. They have no purpose now." The Doctor told her.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione stood by a window, holding a glass of wine each and looking up at the stars. Reinette came up behind them, also holding a glass of wine and she followed their gazes.

"You know all their names, don't you?" Reinette asked the Doctor "I saw that in your mind. The name of every star."

"What's in a name? Names are just titles. Titles don't tell you anything." The Doctor smiled slightly.

"Like, 'The Doctor'."

"Like, 'Madame de Pompadour'." Reinette laughed.

"I have often wished to see those stars a little closer." Reinette said wistfully "Just as you have, I think."

"From time to time."

"In saving me, you trapped yourself. Both of you. Did you know that would happen?" she asked the two.

"Mm. Pretty much." Hermione said.

"Yet, still you came."

"Yeah, we did, didn't we?" the Doctor smiled "Catch us doing that again."

"There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of the others?" Reinette asked hopefully for the pair.

"When the mirror broke, the shock will have severed all the links with the ship. There'll be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here, I'm afraid. Wherever there was a time window. I'll...I'll, er...pay for any damage." Reinette laughed as Hermione shook her head.

"With what money?" Hermione asked him.

"Um...oh, that's a thought, I'm gonna need money. I was always a bit vague about money. Where do you get money?" He asked the two women, who smiled amused at each other.

"So, here you are. My lonely angels. Stuck on the slow path, with me."

"Yep." The Doctor said popping the 'P' at the end "The slow path." He grinned and held his glass up "Here's to the slow path." Reinette and Hermione laughed and all three chink their glasses together and sipped their wine.

"It's a pity...I think I would've enjoyed the slow path." Reinette sighed.

"Well, we're not going anywhere."

"Oh, aren't you?" Reinette set her glass down and held out both her hands "Take my hand." The Doctor and Hermione looked at each other before taking her hands and she led them out of the room. They then enter Reinette's bedroom and stood in the doorway. "It's not a copy." Reinette said "It's the original. I had it moved here and was exact in every detail."

"The fireplace..." the Doctor breathed as he walked slowly towards it with Hermione behind him

"The fireplace from your bedroom." Hermione said as she placed her hand on it "When did you do this?"

"Many years ago. In the hope that a door once opened, may someday be opened again." Reinette answered "One never quite knows when one needs one's Doctor or one's Hermione." they all smile at each other "It appears undamaged, do you think it will still work?"

"You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it. Which means it was off-line when the mirror broke. That's what saved it. But..." he moved closer to the fireplace "the link is basically physical, and it's still physically here." Reinette watched him, not saying anything but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. The Doctor tapped the woodwork "Which might just mean, if I'm lucky...if I'm very, very, very, very, very, very lucky..." He seemed to find the spot he was looking for and beamed. "Aha!"

"What?" Reinette asked.

"Loose connection!" He held his sonic screwdriver to the loose connection. "Need to get a man in! "He banged on the mantelpiece, then stood ready for the fireplace to turn, his arm wrapped round Hermione. "Wish us luck!"

"Good Luck." She whispered as the fireplace turned bringing the Doctor and Hermione back to the ship.

As soon as they were on the other side, they crouched down and the Doctor called through the flames. "Madame de Pompadour!" She crouched on the other side. "Still wanna see those stars?"

"More than anything." Reinette smiled.

"Give us two minutes. Pack a bag!"

"Am I going somewhere?"

"Go to the window. Pick a star. Any star." He stood and pulled Hermione up and dashed to the TARDIS as Reinette dashed from the fireplace.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione walked into the TARDIS, the Doctor closing the door of the TARDIS wearily behind him and walked slowly up to the console. Hermione looked at him sadly. When he had returned from the fireplace without Reinette she knew instantly what had happened and wished she had gone with the Doctor to pay her respects. She had stayed behind on the ship wanting to see if a theory she had of the ship was correct.

"Why her?" Rose asked from beside the console, Mickey slightly behind her. "Why did they think they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?"

"They were the same." Hermione stated "S.S. Madame de Pompadour. That's the ships name."

The Doctor nodded "The TARDIS can close down the time windows now the droids are gone. Should stop it causing any more trouble." He tapped on the computer, acting for the world as if everything is okay. But Rose knew there was something wrong.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked after a moment making the Doctor look up.

"I'm always all right." He smiled briefly before fiddling with the controls again. Rose was still watching him, aware that he was keeping something to himself. Mickey realised he wanted to be alone and tugged on Rose's arm and gestured for Hermione to follow them.

"Come on, Rose. It's time you showed me around the rest of this place." Mickey said pulling her out.

Rose hesitated to leave the Doctor, and glanced over her shoulder as Mickey led her from the console room. Hermione stared at the Doctor before she slowly started to follow.

"Don't go." He whispered to her.

Hermione turned and looked to the Doctor finding him staring at her. He gestured to the captain's chair, Hermione sat and he sat next to her before he slowly took out the letter out of his pocket carefully opened it.

_My Dear Doctor._

_The path has never seemed more slow, and yet I fear I am nearing its end. Reason tells me that you and I are unlikely to meet again. But I think I shall not listen to reason. I have seen the world inside your head, and know that all things are possible. Hurry though, my love. My days grow shorter now, and I am so very weak. I pray that you tell her and give her the love I could only dream of receiving. Give her your hearts and she will gladly give hers._

_God speed, my lonely angel._

The Doctor, tucked the letter away once he was finished. He thought about what Reinette said, about telling Hermione. Could he bring her more into his life that way? Would she reject him? He'd never truly know unless he tried. He felt a mental push from the TARDIS as if she was telling him to tell Hermione.

He turned to her and found her watching him silently, how do you tell someone they were your soulmate? He ran his hand through his hair before he decided to do it like ripping of a plaster.

"You're my soulmate." He stated quickly.

"What?" Hermione asked shocked and a little baffled thinking she didn't hear him correctly.

"You're my soulmate." He said slower "The one my hearts and soul will only belong to and always will."

Hermione looked at him "Your mine." She whispered.

The Doctors eyes snapped to hers "What?"

Hermione smiled "It's very rare for a witch or wizard to find their soulmate. It's why they all marry young, because we are most likely to find their soulmates in the afterlife. Have one love in life and then another in death. You're my soulmate, Doctor. My heart and soul belongs to you."

The Doctor grinned "Brilliant!" he then frowned "You knew at Christmas and didn't come?"

"What I told you then was the truth, I didn't want to take Rose's first adventures with the new you away from her." Hermione frowned "I wondered after, if not going with you was the right choice, but it's too late to go back and change it." Hermione paused "I also wondered why the bond never established when I was 8 but guessed it was because I was 8 and hadn't accepted my magic yet."

The Doctor nodded "That could be it." he paused "How do your people start the bonding process?"

"A kiss, it connects the souls and as the relationship grows deeper, so does the connection. The bond is completed when we are ready to give each other everything." Hermione replied.

"Same." The Doctor nodded before he looked at Hermione "Do you want this bond?"

"Yes." She whispered "Do you?"

"I would love to be your Sir Lancelot to your Guinevere." He grinned.

Hermione looked down and blushed at having him hear her say that, before her head was lifted by the Doctor. He looked intently in her eyes before he started to lean in he stopped to make sure Hermione wanted this now and not wait. When she leaned in he connected his lips to hers. Both felt a warmth fill them.

Hermione leaned in more feeling her magic reaching out to the Doctor and surrounding him as it connected to him in every way. The Doctor cupped the back of Hermione's head, his fingers winding into her hair as he felt the connection form between them in his mind. Hermione gasped as the Doctor nibbled on her bottom lip, allowing the Doctors tongue access. Their tongues danced against each other as a blinding golden light filled the room. Both felt a sharp pain on the left arms between the shoulders and elbow. When air was necessary for Hermione they pulled back panting.

"Wow." Hermione breathed and the Doctor grinned.

"Yeah." He rested his forehead on Hermione's before he frowned looking at her left arm "What's that?" he asked as he traced the mark with his finger.

Hermione looked down and saw what looked like a brown vine that wrapped around her arm "It's a sign of our bond, you should have one too. It will get darker until it completed and will turn gold."

The Doctor pulled away and took his suit jacket of before rolling his left sleeve up to reveal the mark, he smiled at it before he pulled Hermione back to him and reconnecting their lips. This kiss more passionate than before.

"Doctor." Hermione sighed as he pulled away.

"Theta." He whispered "My name is Theta."

"Theta." She whispered before they connected their lips again. Neither of them seeing a smiling Mickey as he walked away to go back to Rose in the kitchen. Deciding to tell her that neither of the Doctor or Hermione were hungry.


	5. Chapter 4: Rise of the Cybermen

**Chapter 4: Rise of the Cybermen**

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Mickey were hanging out in the TARDIS. The Doctor and Hermione both slumped in chairs next to each other while Mickey stood by the console and Rose leaned against the railing with her arms crossed as she glared at the laughing pair.

"…So they flew in on brooms and set a load of fireworks off, these fireworks painted pictures in the sky. The next thing then, Umbridge was sort of shuffling away as quickly as she could in her heels as this massive firework chased her." Hermione laughed as she mimicked the shuffling of feet with her own in the air making the Doctor and Mickey laugh "It exploded into this giant Dragon and swallowed her, destroying all of these rules she had set. It was brilliant!" she giggled "Then when we had to go and save Sirius, she caught us and Harry and I led her into the forest to Dumbledore's 'secret weapon'. Her face when she saw Grawp was like a toad who had swallowed a rotting fly."

The Doctor laughed and then pulled a face "Like this?"

Hermione laughed "No more like this." She said pulling a different face.

Mickey smiled watching the pair, Hermione had told him instantly about telling the Doctor about being soulmates and he had been happy. He had frowned though when the two told him they wanted to keep it from Rose for a while. Hermione saying that she wanted to ease Rose into the idea before telling her. Mickey had agreed after Hermione had brought up Rose's reaction to not being the first and only companion.

"Yeah...what…What about this one?" Mickey pulled a face making Hermione fall on the floor at the sight "What happened after?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor looked over and frowned "Um...what're you doing that for?"

Mickey looked down at his finger on a button on the console. "'Cos you told me to..."

The Doctor blinked "When was that...?" he asked.

"About half an hour ago..." Mickey replied.

"Um. You can let go now."

Mickey let it go. "Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?"

"Ten minutes? Twenty...? Twenty-nine?" the Doctor said.

"You just forgot me!" Mickey called indignantly.

"Sorry Mickey." Hermione said sheepishly as she took her seat again next to the Doctor.

"No, no, no! I was just...I was just...I was calibrating. I was just...no, I know exactly what I'm doing." The Doctor stuttered before the TARDIS console exploded violently, sparks and flames flying everywhere. The Doctor scrambled to his knees and frantically tried to operate the console.

"What's happened?!" Rose asked frantic.

"The Time Vortex is gone! That's impossible, it's just gone!" the Doctor said shocked "Brace yourself! We're gonna crash!" he shouted as he pulled Hermione towards him. Hermione felt the TARDIS crash. The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Mickey were thrown backwards and gas masks fell from the ceiling. All the light in the TARDIS had gone out and it was very dark. "Everyone all right? Hermione, Rose, Mickey?"

"I'm okay." Hermione called.

"I'm fine." Mickey called from the other side of the console "I'm okay, sorry." They all stood slowly, the Doctor helping Hermione.

The Doctor looked up at the rotor and the console. "She's dead." He whispered. There was a clicking as the engines cooled down, smoke rising from the console. "The TARDIS is dead." He walked slowly around the console.

"You can fix it?" Rose asked.

"There's nothing to fix. She's perished." He pulled a lever back and forth fruitlessly. Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it as she looked round the TARDIS sadly. "The last TARDIS in the universe...extinct."

"We can get help, yeah?"

"Where from?" the Doctor asked her.

"Well, we've landed, we've gotta be somewhere."

"We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness." Hermione watched as Mickey moved to the TARDIS doors and opened them "We're in some sort of no-place...the silent realm...the lost dimension..."

Mickey grinned "Otherwise known as London!" He laughed and stepped out of the door. Hermione followed him and saw that they were in fact in 21st century London. The Doctor and Rose followed them. "London, England, Earth. Hold on..." He jumped down off the low wall and picked a paper out of a dustbin and looked at the cover. Hermione frowned feeling a little off "First of February this year, not exactly far-flung, is it?" Mickey finished, Rose jumped down and looked over his shoulder.

The Doctor also jumped down and looked around "So, this is London." He asked.

"Yep." Mickey nodded.

"Your city."

"That's the one."

"Just as we left it." The Doctor asked looking up, Hermione followed his gaze and her eyes widened at the site before her.

"Bang on." Mickey smiled.

"And that includes the zeppelins?" Hermione asked.

Rose and Mickey looked up at him and then followed his gaze and turned around to see the sky is full of zeppelins. "What the hell...?" Mickey said gazed at the shocked.

"That's beautiful." Rose breathed.

"Okay. So, it's London with a big international zeppelin festival." Mickey guessed.

"This is not your world." The Doctor said and Hermione nodded in agreement as the feeling she was getting got worse.

"But if the date's the same..." Mickey said confused as he worked it out "...it's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins, am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"

"Must be." The Doctor mumbled.

"So, a parallel world where..." Rose said looking off to the side.

"Oh, come on." Mickey grinned as Hermione leaned on the wall as she felt slightly dizzy "You see it on films. Like an alternative to our world were everything's the same but a little bit different, like...I dunno…traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected..."

"And he's still alive..." Rose said distantly as she stared at a poster right front of them. It had an image of Pete Tyler, a successful businessman, holding a bottle of Vitex. "A parallel world and my dad's still alive..." She made towards the poster, the Doctor, Hermione and Mickey following.

"Don't look at it, Rose." The Doctor said to her sternly "Don't even think about it. This is not your world."

"But he's my dad...and..." Rose touched the poster, the picture of Pete sprung to life for a moment, calling out 'trust me on this', winked and gave the thumbs up. Rose stepped back. "Oh, that's weird. But he's real!"

"Trust me on this." Poster Pete said as Hermione stared at him wistfully, before shaking her head. This wasn't her Uncle Pete, he was just some man that looked like him.

"He's a success!" Rose grinned happily "He was always planning these daft little schemes, health-food drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it."

The Doctor suddenly grasped Rose by the shoulders and bent slightly to look into her eyes speaking urgently "Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now." Rose glanced back at the poster. "Stop looking at it!" Rose reluctantly met the Doctor's eyes again. "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. That is A Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you." Rose's eyes started to wander back to the poster, but she tried to stop herself. "You can't see him. Not ever." Rose gave a tiny nod.

oOo

Hermione entered the TARDIS and sighed in relief when she felt better. She sat down and looked around sadly at the TARDIS. "I'm sorry." She whispered to her.

The doors opened again and the Doctor walked in. "Are you alright?" he asked as he sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her.

"It feels weird here." She told him, she frowned "Parallel world…" she whispered and pulled her wand out "Lumos." Nothing happened and Hermione sat up straighter "Lumos." She poured as much as she could into the spell and a faint light appeared before it faded. She looked at the Doctor shocked "No magic, no wonder I felt off."

"That's not good." The Doctor whispered "How will that affect you?"

"We live off our magical core and this world is blocking it…I could…I could die…slowly. Not even the Hallows will work." She swallowed tears filling her eyes "We need to find a way out of this place." She said desperately.

"We will." He told her as he kissed her forehead comfortably, closing his eyes tightly promising himself that they'd find a way out of this parallel world. Mickey suddenly entered, closing the door behind him. The Doctor rounded on him angrily "I told you to keep an eye on her!"

"She's all right..." Mickey said dismissively.

"She goes wandering off, parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling out."

"Oh, so it's just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me? Hermione?" Mickey asked him.

"Well, I don't know, I can't worry about everything... if I could just get this thing to..." He kicked the TARDIS console hard in his frustration, needing to make things right for Hermione. He walked slowly over to a chair, scowling.

"Did that help?" Hermione asked amused.

"Yes." He pouted.

"Did that hurt?" Mickey asked amused.

"Yes. Ow." He sat down and rubbed his foot. Hermione lifted it up and pulled his shoe off and rubbed his sore spot "We're not meant to be here." The Doctor said as he kissed Hermione's cheek in thanks and put his shoe back on "The TARDIS draws its power off the universe, Hermione does, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

"But...I've seen it in comics." Mickey said frowning at the mention of Hermione's power "People are hopping from one alternative world to another, it's easy."

The Doctor sent him a withering look "Not in the real world." He paused "Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind."

"Then how did we get here?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno. Accident?" the Doctor said wearily "Should've been impossible, now we're trapped." There was a short, hopeless silence. "What's that?" he asked as he spotted a tiny green light glowing beneath the console.

"What?" Mickey frowned moving towards him.

"That there, is that a reflection? It's not." He and Mickey crouched, staring at it. "It's a light!" the Doctor exclaimed excitedly "Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light! That's all we need!" They removed the grilling. "We've got power! Hermione, Mickey, we've got power! Ha!" The Doctor ducked right underneath the console and pulled out some important looking internals of the TARDIS. "It's alive!" he said deliriously happy.

"Said Doctor Frankenstein." Hermione teased.

"What is it?" Mickey asked chuckling at Hermione's comment.

"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life. But with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside."

"Enough to get us home?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"Not yet." He picked up the power cell and sat back on the small set of stairs under the grilling. "I need to charge it up." He held it carefully, cupped in both his hands.

"We could go outside and latch it up to the national grid!" Mickey suggested.

"Wrong sort of energy. It's gotta come from our universe." The Doctor told him.

"But we don't have anything."

"There's me..." the Doctor blew gently on the power cell and it glowed brightly, making the Doctor beam. "I just gave away ten years of my life. Worth every second!" Hermione cupped the Doctors hands and kissed them before giving him a peck.

They all watched the power cell with huge grins, the light faded. "It's going out. Is that okay?" Mickey asked slightly panicked.

"It's on a recharging cycle." It glowed brighter again before fading to dim and so on. "It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, oh, twenty-four hours?" He kissed the power cell and then Hermione "We'll be home soon." He whispered.

Mickey grinned watching the two before he spoke "So, that gives us twenty-four hours on a parallel world?"

"Surely! As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem." He tossed the power cell in the air and caught it again.

"We're talking about you here, nothing is ever easy." Hermione teased as the Doctor pulled her up and wrapped his arm around her waist.

The Doctor smiled before nodding to the door "Let's go and tell her."

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Mickey came across Rose sitting on a bench.

"There you are! You all right? No applause, I fixed it!" he showed her the power cell. "Twenty-four hours, then we're flying back to reality." He sat down on the bench pulling Hermione down next to him and held up the power cell to show Rose. She didn't even glance at it, lost in her own thoughts. The Doctors grin faded as he spotted the mobile in her hand "What is it?" he asked.

"My phone connected. There's this...Cybus Network, it finds your phone." She told them "It gave me Internet access."

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world."

"I don't exist." She murmured.

"What do you mean?" Hermione frowned.

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie...he still married mum...but they never had kids." She looked down at the mobile "Your parents still married and you were born." She muttered to Hermione.

The Doctor tried to snatch the mobile of Rose "Give me that phone."

Rose pulled it away from his grasp "They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want." She paused thinking "But they haven't got me." She sounded close to tears. She stood walking away from bench and then turned to face the Doctor. "I've gotta see him."

"You can't."

"I just wanna see him." Rose said like it was nothing making Hermione roll her eyes before she frowned thinking.

"I can't let you!"

"You just said twenty-four hours!" Rose snapped, starting to walk away.

"You can't become their daughter, that's not the way it works!" He turned to Mickey "Mickey, tell her."

Mickey stood from where he had sat "Twenty-four hours, yeah?"

"Where're you going?" the Doctor asked him bewildered.

"Well, I can do what I want!"

Rose started walking backward in the opposite direction to Mickey "I've got the address and everything."

The Doctor looked from one to the other frantically "Stay where you are, both of you! Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!"

"I just wanna see him." Rose said desperately.

"Yeah, I've got things to see and all." Mickey called.

"Like what?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, you don't know anything about me, do ya?" Mickey shrugged "It's always about Rose. I'm just a spare part."

Rose continued to walk away "I'm sorry. I've gotta go."

The Doctor turned from Rose to Mickey. They were both walking away from him and he didn't know which way to turn. He then looked to Hermione who was still sat on the bench thinking, biting the bottom of her lip.

"Hermione?" he asked worried, crouching down to her level.

Hermione looked at him and then spotted Rose and Mickey walking in different directions. She frowned before she worked out what they were doing and she looked to the Doctor "There's something I really want to see." She told him.

"No, Hermione…"

"It has nothing to do with me, I just want to see if something else is different here." She told him "When I'm done I'll go to the Tyler's." she told him _"Please."_

"What about not having magic?" he asked "You said so yourself, your dying." He swallowed thickly not wanting to think about that.

"Slowly…" Hermione told him as tears filled her eyes again "I'll be back to you as quickly as I can…I just need to know this one thing."

"I'll come with you." The Doctor said.

"And leave Rose alone here? No." She shook her head "You need to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid or reckless."

The Doctor stared at her silently before he nodded hesitantly "Fine. But if you start to feel worse, either come to me or the TARDIS."

Hermione grinned and kissed his cheek "I promise." She stood and walked towards Mickey. Hermione looked over at Rose and saw the smug smile she sent to her. She didn't understand why Rose was smug when he was sent to go with her instead of choosing. Did Rose not hear what they had said?

Mickey smiled before he gestured to Rose, "Go on then. No choice, is there? You can only chase after one of us, and it's never gonna be me, is it?"

Rose began walking again after having watched the interaction between the Doctor and Hermione. She had wanted to storm over there and rip them apart when she had seen how close they were together, not bothering to listen to what her cousin was saying. When Hermione had stood and joined Mickey she couldn't help but be joyous at that, she couldn't keep the smug smile off her face that the Doctor had chosen her and not Hermione.

The Doctor pointed at Mickey "Back here in twenty-four hours!" then Hermione "Be careful and safe!" he then ran after Rose. Mickey watched the Doctors retreating back. "Yeah. If I haven't found something better." He muttered to himself before he wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders and turned them away.

oOo

Hermione was stood in Godric's Hollow. She had Mickey walk her to the train station before he left her, though he seemed reluctant when he had found out about there not being magic in this world and that it was killing her. She had searched the tombstones in the graveyard and had smiled relieved when she notice a certain grave missing.

Hermione looked around the tiny village and smiled politely at the people who passed her by. She started walking slowly down the road to a particular cottage. It was no longer the devastated heap, but stood proud and outshining the others, with it beautiful garden and shining windows. Hermione stopped when she spotted several people leaving the cottage.

Tears filled her eyes as she watched Harry walk with his parents. He had a beautiful blonde beside him and was carrying a small boy in his arms. Behind him was Sirius, Remus and Peter all laughing and joking. Remus had his arm wrapped around Nymphadora and Teddy was holding her hand.

"Are you alright?" a voice asked.

Hermione snapped her eyes to Lily Potter "Yes, sorry." She smiled sniffling slightly. "Erm…I'm a bit lost, is there a train station round here or will I have to walk to the next village?" Hermione lied.

"Oh, just past the church." Lily said pointing back the way Hermione came "Its quiet hidden, so no wonder you missed it. We could walk you if you like."

"That would be lovely." Hermione replied.

They all started walking in the direction of the church. "I'm Lily." Lily held her hand out and Hermione shook it "this is my husband James, our son Harry, his Wife Kathy and their son Joseph."

"Hermione."

"I'm Sirius Black." Sirius said taking Hermione's hand and kissing it with a flirty smile.

"Taken." Hermione teased.

"He's a lucky man."

Hermione just hummed before shaking Peter's, Remus' and Tonks' hands and then waved at Teddy when they introduced themselves. Hermione noticed Peter seemed more confident in this world and she was happy about it.

"Here we are." Lily said pointing to a small pathway that led to the station, which was hidden by vines and leaves.

"Thank you. It was nice meeting you all." Hermione smiled and waved before she walked down to the station to wait for the train to take her back to central London. She had a happy smile on her face, her friend had got to grow up with his parents, Sirius and Remus and that Teddy got to be raised by his parents.

She sat down heavily on a bench before breathing deeply when a wave of dizziness came over her. She was slowly getting worse and she hated it. She needed to get to the Doctor, maybe their bond could stable her a little.

oOo

Hermione walked up the driveway of the Tyler mansion. She had to ask for some directions and stop once in a while to catch her breath to stop herself from fainting, but she got there. She stared in awe at the beauty of the mansion before continuing on her way. She stopped when she suddenly heard a noise and looked behind her and she spotted dozens of metal men coming towards her. She pulled all the energy she could and ran for the front door, she slipped in before searching for the Doctor and Rose.

Once she had spotted them she rushed up behind them. "What are they?" she asked making Rose jump at her sudden appearance and glare.

"Cybermen." The Doctor told her. He turned to her relieved that she was here, he had a few uncomfortable moments with Rose where she had openly flirted with him which made him wish that he had gone with Hermione instead of her. He frowned worriedly at Hermione's pale complexion. Before he could comment about it, Cybermen started to fist their way through the windows in order to gain entry to the mansion, which elicited screams from the crowd. All the guests cowered as the Cybermen stepped through the full length windows and soon they had everyone in the room circled with no way out.

"Mr Lumic." The President greeted distastefully into his comm.

"_Mr President. I suppose a remark about crashing the party would be appropriate at this point."_ Lumic laughed evilly.

"I forbade this." The President seethed.

"_These are my children, sir. Would you deny my family?"_

"What are they? Robots?" Rose asked under her breath.

"Worse than that." The Doctor answered his arm wrapped around Hermione.

"Who were these people?" the President asked Lumic.

"_Doesn't matter."_ He replied.

"They were people?" Hermione asked.

The Doctor nodded "They were. Until they had all their humanity taken away. It's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body. With a heart of steel. All emotions removed." He told them.

"Why no emotions?" Rose asked.

"Because it hurts."

"I demand to know, Lumic, these people, who were they?" the President asked, his voice rising.

"_They were homeless, wretched and useless until I saved them. And elevated them. And gave them life-eternal. And now, I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mr President."_ Lumic hung up.

One of the Cybermen squared itself in front of the crowd. "We have been upgraded."

"Into what?" the Doctor asked it.

"The next level of mankind. We are Human Point Two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us."

"I'm sorry." The President approached the Cyberman "I'm so sorry for what's been done to you." He turned and walked around "But listen to me, this experiment ends. Tonight."

"Upgrading is compulsory." The Cyberman stated.

"And if I refuse?" the President asked.

"Don't." the Doctor told him quickly making Hermione and Rose glance at him.

"What if I refuse?"

The Doctor stepped forward "I'm telling you, don't."

The President ignored him "What happens if I refuse?"

"Then you are not compatible." The Cyberman answered.

"What happens then?" the President asked, challenging the Cyberman.

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman grasped the President, whose eyes widened in shock, by the neck. He was engulfed by electric-blue light as he was killed and then dropped to the ground.

The crowd started to scream, running to get away. Everyone desperately ran around, looking for a way out whilst some unfortunate individuals were attacked by the Cybermen. The room was in chaos, as the Doctor grabbed Hermione and Rose's hands, pulling them outside through one of the broken windows.

"There's nothing we can do!" the Doctor told Rose as she pulled away from him and tried to go back inside.

"My mum's in there!" Rose shouted.

The Doctor just pulled her away again. "She's not your mother! Come on!" They three ran up a slope, only to be greeted by a row of Cybermen. They quickly changed direction and ran around the side of the house. Pete leaped out of a window and Rose spotted him.

Rose called him over "Quick! Quick!"

Pete ran after them, frowning when he saw Hermione "Hermione?"

"Hey, Uncle Pete." Hermione waved before she focused on trying to get away from the Cybermen.

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete reached the front of the house.

"Pete, is there's no way out!" the Doctor asked as he looked around.

"The side gates!" Pete replied and they all ran in the direction he indicated. "Who are you? How do you know so much?" he asked the Doctor.

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years..."

They skidded to a halt as they were met by another row of Cybermen and were forced to change direction, two figures ran towards them, holding guns.

"Who's that?!" Rose asked.

"Get behind me!" said the man they thought was Mickey. The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete crouched behind Ricky and Jake as they fired their guns at the onslaught of Cybermen. The Cybermen just stopped marching.

Rose began to fuss with Ricky's coat "Oh my God, look at you..." she said relieved as she pulled him into a tight hug, much to Ricky's bewilderment. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Ricky pulled away from her "Yeah, no offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" he asked as another Mickey sprinted down the lawn towards them.

"Rose!" he stopped as he reached them "That's not me. That's like...the other one." Rose stared at him, and then at 'Mickey'.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's!" the Doctor groaned making Hermione slap him lightly on the chest in slight amusement.

"It's Ricky." Ricky said.

"But there's more of them..." Mickey referred to the Cybermen. The group looked around them in fear as they are surrounded by Cybermen.

"We're surrounded..." Rose said as Ricky raised his gun.

"Put the guns down. Bullets won't stop them." the Doctor said but Jake ignored him and fired a rally. The Doctor pushed his gun aside angrily. "No! Stop shooting, now!" The Doctor straightened and addressed the surrounding Cybermen. "We surrender! Hands up..." the group but their hands up, Hermione doing so weakly, as the run finally caught up with her and her already weakened state. "...there's no need to damage us, we're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"You are rogue elements." A Cyberman stated.

"But we surrender."

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender!" the Doctor shouted.

"You will be deleted."

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!" the Doctor shouted franticly.

"You are inferior." The Cyberman stated "Man will be reborn as Cybermen but you will perish under maximum deletion." The Cyberman raised its arm and reached towards the Doctor.

The group looked round terrified.

"Delete. Delete. Delete!"


	6. Chapter 5: Age of Steel

**Chapter 5: Age of Steel**

The Doctor pointed the power cell at the Cybermen, which expelled a shot of golden light which bounded off one of them and onto the others and they were all disintegrated.

"What the hell was that?" Ricky asked.

"We'll have that instead, run!"

They ran towards the side gate when a blue van drove in front of them, the horn hooking as Mrs Moore called out the window "Everybody in!"

Pete tried to run back to the house, but was stopped by the Doctor grabbing and restraining him. "I've gotta go back, my wife's in there." Pete pleaded.

"Anyone inside that house is dead. If you wanna help, then don't let her die for nothing." The Doctor told him "You've gotta come with us right now." Pete nodded in understanding and hurried to the van.

"Come on, get a move on!" Mrs Moore shouted.

Rose still stood there staring at the house "Rose, she's not your mother." The Doctor said in quiet urgency.

"I know." Rose said.

"Come on." He pushed her in the direction of the van. He walked up to Hermione who had waited for them, she looked at the house sadly but shook her head. Her Aunt was safe back in there world. The Doctor grabbed her hand and helped her in, keeping a tight hold on it as he noted how pale she was.

"Finished chatting?!" Mrs Moore asked from the front of the van "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!" they drove off.

The van was driving along at a steady speed now, relatively calm. Hermione was sat next to the Doctor with her head on his shoulder revealing in how she felt better with him next to her. Ricky, who was sitting at the front, glared through the grilling at the power cell, which the Doctor was still holding in his hand.

"What was that thing?" Ricky asked.

"Little bit of technology from my home." The Doctor told him wrapping an arm around Hermione tightly as she flinched at the headache starting to form.

"It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" Mickey asked, worried that they'll never make it home so Hermione could get better.

The Doctor put the power cell in his pocket "It's on a revitalising loop. It'll charge back up in about four hours." He answered.

"Right. So, we don't have a weapon anymore." Ricky muttered.

"Yeah, we've got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him." Jake said looking at Pete.

"Leave him alone! What's he done wrong?" Rose defending Pete, her voice rising shrilly.

"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government. And left Lumic in charge." Jake told her.

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete asked irritated.

"Maybe your plan went wrong." Ricky suggested "Still gives us the right to execute you, though."

"Talk about executions, you'll make me your enemy…" The Doctor said.

"…And me." Hermione called cutting in, still with her eyes closed.

"…And take some really good advice, you don't wanna do that." The Doctor continued.

"All the same...we have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5." Ricky said.

Rose stared at Pete taken aback "Is that true?" she asked him as Pete looked uncomfortable.

"Tell 'em, Mrs M." Ricky called.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information." Mrs Moore told everyone "Lumic's private files, his South American operations...the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week."

"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete guessed.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky asked.

"I'm Gemini. That's me."

"Yeah, well you would say that."

"Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine." Ricky and Jake glanced at one another. "That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van!"

Mickey looked confused "No, no, no! But the Preachers know what they're doing." He said "Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted!"

"Yeah, that's not exactly..." Ricky trailed off.

"Not exactly what?" Mickey asked.

"I'm London's Most Wanted for... parking tickets." Rickey said sheepishly. The Doctor smiled and Hermione snorted as Rose raised her eyebrows at him.

"Great." Pete huffed.

"They were deliberate! I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me." Ricky said defensively.

"I beat you." Hermione said "I broke in and out of the most high security bank and got away with it Scott free." Hermione grinned at him.

"Hermione!?" Pete exclaimed "Do your parents know? You're supposed to be in Australia with them, what are you doing here?"

"Erm…" Hermione hummed trying to come up with an excuse.

"Good policy." The Doctor said quickly taking Pete's attention away from Hermione "I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, and this is Hermione. If anyone's interested..."

"And I'm Rose." Rose added put off and slightly annoyed the Doctor didn't introduce her, she waved with a false cheerful "Hello!"

"Even better. That's the name of my dog." Pete said. Hermione had trouble stopping the laugh that came out and covered it with a cough and smiled sheepishly at the knowing look the Doctor sent her "Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side." He said.

Rose looked at him "I knew you weren't a traitor." Rose said to him quietly.

"Why's that, then?" he asked her, Rose glanced at the Doctor who was watching her with a hard look.

"I just did." She answered.

"They took my wife."

"She might still be alive."

"That's even worse. 'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living...and he turns them into those machines."

"Cybermen." The Doctor stated and all eyes turned to him "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear-pods off, if I were you." Pete obliged and gave them to the Doctor. "You never know...Lumic could be listening." He disabled them with his sonic screwdriver. "But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight."

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose, Mickey, Pete and the Preachers were walking along the street. They all watched in horror as people were marching dazed towards the same destination.

"What the hell...?" Jake breathed.

"What's going on?" Rose asked.

"It's the ear-pods. Lumic's taking control." The Doctor told them.

"Can't we just...I dunno, take them off?" Rose said reaching up to one man to take his ear-pods out, Hermione's hand snatched out and stopped her.

"You don't know what will happen if you do." Hermione said as Rose snatched her arm from Hermione and looked to the Doctor for confirmation.

"Cause a brainstorm." The Doctor answered "Human Race, for such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life."

"Hey!" Jake called from where he and Ricky were peering around the corner, crouching. "Come and see."

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose, Mickey and Pete joined them in looking around the corner. A row of Cybermen marched alongside the people under the control of the ear-pods, still heading in the same direction.

"Where do you think they're all going?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered quietly "Lumic must have a base of operation."

"Battersea." Pete stated "That's where he was building his prototypes."

"Why's he doing it?" Rose asked frowning.

"He's dying. This all started out as a way of life by keeping the brain alive. At any cost."

"The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I?" Rose asked the Doctor "That head, those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum."

"Ah, there are Cybermen in our universe." The Doctor told her "They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on earth."

"What the hell are you two on about?" Pete asked.

"Never mind that." Ricky said "Come on, we need to get out of the City." The Cybermen were fast-approaching down the street. "Okay, split up, Mrs Moore, you look after that bloke." He pointed at Pete "Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move." He ran off in one direction, Jake in the other.

Mickey turned to Rose "I'm going with him." He kissed Rose briefly before following after Ricky.

"Come on, let's go." Mrs Moore called. They all ran in a different direction to the others, the Cybermen still marching towards them. "There!" Mrs Moore pointed and they ran down a side alley, with some Cybermen in pursuit.

The Cybermen march down the street whilst the Doctor, Hermione, Rose, Pete and Mrs Moore crouched hidden behind a pile of rubbish and dustbins. Rose clutched onto Pete's hand as Hermione clutched the Doctors, breathing deeply. The Cybermen stopped as if they wanted to investigate the rubbish further, but the Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver in their direction. It bleeped and they got on their way. Rose stood and released Pete's hand. They glanced at one another, Pete slightly bewildered by the way she was behaving towards him. They all stood warily and watched the Cybermen march off into the distance.

"Go." The Doctor whispered and they creeped out from behind the dustbins and ran in the opposite direction.

Jake ran to where the Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete were waiting. "I ran past the river. You should've seen it, the whole City's on the watch." Jake told them "Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames." Mickey ran down the street towards them, alone. Jake turned and his face lit up. "Here he is!" Mickey didn't reply as he came to a halt. Jake furrowed his brow. "Which one are you?"

The fact that something was wrong was written all over Mickey's face "I'm sorry." Mickey said "The Cybermen. He couldn't..."

"Are you Ricky? ARE YOU RICKY?"

Mickey didn't say anything.

Rose stepped forward "Mickey, that's you, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Rose ran to him and threw her arms around him. Hermione breathed in relief that her friend was alive and well and she leaned heavily on the Doctor. Jake remained silent. Mickey turned to him once he released Rose "He tried. He was running..." Jake turned away, Mickey went after him "There was too many of them."

"Shut it." Jake said his face contorted with pain.

"There was nothing I could do."

Jake spun around "I said just shut it. Don't even talk about him. You're nothing, you are." Mickey's eyes were red and shining with tears. As were Jake's. "Nothing."

"Leave him alone." Hermione growled stepping from the Doctor "It's not his fault, and he is not nothing..." Hermione swayed slightly making the Doctor rush forward and wrap his arms around her to keep her upright.

"Hermione?" Pete asked worriedly placing a hand on her arm, making Rose glare at her, for the Doctors arms wrapped around her and her dad being more concerned for Hermione than her "What's wrong?"

"I'm not feeling too good at the moment. But I'll be fine." She replied to him giving him a small smile.

"We can mourn him when London is safe." The Doctor said calmly to Jake his arms tightening around Hermione "But now, we move on." The group nodded miserably.

oOo

They walked up a slope that overlooked the Thames to see Battersea on the opposite bank.

"The whole of London's been sealed off," the Doctor stated "and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be 'converted'."

"We've gotta get in there and shut it down." Rose said.

"How do we do that?" Mickey asked.

"Oh, I'll think of something." The Doctor said.

"You're just making this up as you go along!" Mickey said indignantly.

"Best plans always are." Hermione said amused remembering all the situations that she, Harry and Ron got into and had to make their plans up along the way.

"Yuuuup. But I do it brilliantly." Hermione smirked and Mickey had to agree.

They all turned and walked up to where Mrs Moore had her laptop out, there was a 3D model on the screen. The Doctor placed Hermione next to her so she could conserve her energy.

"That's a schematic of the old factory." Mrs Moore told them "Look, cooling tunnels...underneath the plant...big enough to walk through." Everyone was crowded around the laptop on a bench, except for Jake, who was stood some distance away, not really listening.

"We go under there and up into the control centre?" the Doctor indicated at the screen.

"Hmm." Mrs Moore hummed.

"There's another way in." Pete said gaining everyone's attention "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in..."

Jake walked up to them "We can't just go strolling up." He stated.

"Or, we could...with these..." Mrs Moore said as she pulled some ear-pods from her bag. The Doctor took one and looked at it "Fake ear-pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."

"Then that's my job." Pete said.

"You'd have to show no emotion." The Doctor told him "None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away."

Rose looked to Mrs Moore "How many of those have you got?"

"Just two sets." She replied.

"Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie...I'm coming with you." Rose got up and stood next to Pete.

"Why does she matter to you?" Pete asked her curiously.

"We haven't got time." She told him before turning back to the Doctor "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that."

"No stopping you, is there?" the Doctor said.

"Nope."

The Doctor chucked her the ear-pods "Tell you what...we can take the ear-pods at the same time. Give people their minds back. So they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?" The Doctor led Jake further up the hill for a better look at Battersea and the zeppelin stationed above it. "Lumic's transmitting the control signal, and it must be from over there..." he pointed his sonic screwdriver in that general direction before it bleeped "There it is...on the zeppelin, see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?"

Jake smiled pleased "Consider it done." The Doctor patted him on the shoulder and came back over to the others.

"Mrs Moore...would you care to accompany Hermione and me into the cooling tunnels?"

"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?" Mrs Moore laughed.

The Doctor took of his glasses "We attack on three sides, above, between, below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines."

"What about me?" Mickey asked standing slightly apart from the group.

"You'll go with Jake." Hermione said "He's the only on without a partner and no one goes alone."

"I can do that." Mickey nodded.

"I don't need you, idiot." Jake rounded on him.

"I'm not an idiot! You got that?!" Mickey snapped at him before he calmed again "I'm offering to help."

"Whatever." Jake mumbled and he walked off. Mickey followed him, the Doctor watching him silently.

"Mickey?" the Doctor called making Mickey turn back. "Good luck."

"Stay safe." Hermione called as she got up to hug him.

"Yeah. You too." Mickey hugged her before turning to Rose "Rose, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, you better." She replied.

"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS." The Doctor smiled at Mickey, eyes intense.

Mickey nodded. "That's a promise." He Turned and walked away with confidence. Hermione watched him glance over his shoulder in time to see the Doctor and Rose hug tightly, Rose giving the Doctor a flirty grin. He looked at Hermione and she gave him a sad but understanding look. He rolled his eyes, of course she worked out what he was planning.

"Good luck." The Doctor said to Rose before turning and helping Hermione up. Mickey turned away, no longer smiling.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Mrs Moore climbed through a trap door into the cooling tunnels, descending a ladder

"It's freezing here." Mrs Moore commented.

"Any sign of a light switch?" the Doctor asked looking around as Hermione leaned against the ladder.

Mrs Moore laughed "Can't see a thing. But I've got these..." She rummaged through her bag and handed the Doctor a light that could be tied round his head. "A device for every occasion..."

"Ooh!" the Doctor grinned, taking it.

"Put it on." She found one for herself and they put them on. Mrs Moore then turned to hand one to Hermione but frowned when she saw how pale she was "Are you alright?"

Hermione breathed deeply and shook her head "Hermione?" the Doctor stepped towards her and felt her forehead before pulling it away quickly when he felt her burning up. "Maybe you should go back to the TARDIS." He suggested.

"No…I won't make it back without help." She whispered.

The Doctor nodded before he kissed her forehead, then her cheek and the finally her lips before he pulled away and helped her up. "Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you? I'm starving." The Doctor joked wanting to lighten the situation.

Mrs Moore laughed as Hermione chuckled and patted his stomach. "Of all the things to wish for! That's mechanically recovered meat!" Mrs Moore said.

"I know. It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty." He replied.

Mrs Moore handed Hermione a torch "A proper torch as well."

"Thanks." Hermione smiled.

"Let's see where we are." The Doctor said as Hermione switched on the torch, he took few steps forward. The first thing the light fell on was a Cyberman. There were hundreds of them lining the cooling tunnels, but they were lifeless. "Already converted, just paralysed. Come on!" He walked forward, ready to start the journey down the cooling tunnels. He made sure Hermione was close behind and kept her hands in his. After a moment of hesitation, Mrs Moore followed. The Doctor paused and rapped one on where the nose would be which elicited no response. "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems." They edged slowly and warily down the tunnel, past lifeless Cyberman after lifeless Cyberman. "How did you get into this, then? Rattling along with the Preachers?" the Doctor asked Mrs Moore.

"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked at Cybus Industries. '95." She told them "'Til one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly, I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techy, so I...I just sat down and taught myself everything."

"What about Mr Moore?" he asked.

"Well, he's not called Moore. I got that from a book, Mrs Moore." She said "It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you two? Got any family, or...?"

"I have my Aunt and cousin." Hermione answered "Also the Doctor and several friends."

"I've got Hermione and that's all I'll need." He kissed the back of Hermione's hand "Go on then, what's your real name?"

"Angela Price." She replied. The Doctor and Hermione nodded, smiling. "Don't tell a soul."

"Not a word." Hermione said imitating zipping her lips and throwing away the key. Mrs Moore smiled as they continued on. None of them noticed the red button behind a Cyberman light up and started bleeping quietly and a Cyberman slowly turning its head.

"How long have you two been married?" Mrs Moore asked them.

"Were not." They answered in unison.

"Really?" Mrs Moore asked surprised, they acted so well together.

"We've only been together for a few days." Hermione said.

"You seem to have been together for years."

Hermione smiled at her "How long have you been married to Mr Price?" Hermione asked.

"10 years…Doctor? Hermione?" Mrs Moore said fearfully when she spotted a Cybermans hand twitch slightly. "Did that one just move?"

"It's just the torchlight. Keep going, come on." The Doctor answered. Another one, just in front of them turned. "They're waking up...Run!"

They ran down the cooling tunnel as fast as they could. As they ran, the Cybermen spring to life, one after another and began to march forward just as they reached a ladder at the end of the tunnel. They all scrambled to get up it the Doctor first, then Hermione and finally Mrs Moore.

"Get up! Quick! They're coming!" Mrs Moore shouted up at the Doctor as he attempted to open the seal with his sonic screwdriver. "Open it! Open it!"

"Doctor!" Hermione called as she saw how close the Cybermen were.

The Doctor succeeded and tossed the door aside.

"Get up!" Mrs Moore shouted. They all climbed up the ladder as fast as they could "Quick! Quick!"

"Come on! Come on!" the Doctor shouted as he climbed out of the trap door and helped Hermione and then Mrs Moore. They slammed the door closed before the Cybermen could follow and the Doctor sealed it with his sonic screwdriver. "Oh, good team."

"Thought you didn't like saying team." Hermione joked as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"It's growing on me." he said as he helped her stand and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Mrs Moore stood and they all started to edge along a dark, metal corridor. A Cyberman suddenly stepped out in front of them, making the three jump.

"You are not upgraded." It said.

"Yeah? Well, upgrade this." Mrs Moore said as she threw a small metal device at the Cyberman. It stuck to its chest and it sparked, causing the Cyberman to be electrocuted. It shook and jerked, and then slumped to the floor.

The Doctor looked delighted "What the hell was that thing?!" he asked her as they approached the body.

"Electromagnetic bomb. Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit."

"You figured right. Now, let's have a look..." He took out his sonic screwdriver and bent down to hold it to the Cybus logo on its chest. "Now...know your enemy...and the logo on the front...Lumic's turned them into a brand." He took the logo off so that they could see inside the Cyberman. "Heart of steel..." the Doctor said showing it to Hermione and Mrs Moore "but look..." He put his fingers inside the Cyberman, and drew out some bodily tissues.

"Is that flesh?" Hermione asked.

"Hmmm...Central nervous system. Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it is a living thing. Oh, but look..." He carefully put his fingers on an electronic chip. "Emotional inhibitor. Stops them feeling anything."

"But...why?" Mrs Moore asked.

"Because it hurts." Hermione whispered, remembering what the Doctor said.

The Doctor nodded "It's still got a human brain...imagine its reaction if it could see itself. Realise itself inside this thing."

"They'd go insane..." Hermione realised sadly.

"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human." Mrs Moore said.

"Because they have to." The Doctor agreed.

"Why am I cold?" the Cyberman asked.

"Oh, my God. It's alive. It can feel." Mrs Moore gasped.

"We broke the inhibitor." The Doctor leaned over the Cyberman and touched its head. Sincerely "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Why so cold?" the Cyberman asked.

Hermione shushed it "Can you remember your name?" she asked.

"Sally. Sally Phelan." It answered.

"You're a woman..." Mrs Moore said shocked.

"Where's Gareth?" it asked.

"Who's Gareth?"

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before."

"You're getting married."

"I'm cold. I'm so cold." It said and tears fell out of Hermione's eyes.

"Sorry." The Doctor said quietly "You sleep now, Sally. Just go to sleep." He pointed the sonic screwdriver just inside the suit. The blue light inside went out. "Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing." Then it dawned on him "'Cos that's the key. The emotional inhibitor, if we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cybermans head...They'd realise what they are..."

"And what happens then?" Hermione asked him frowning as she ran through the plan in her head.

"I think it would kill them." he furrowed his brows "Could we do that?"

"We've got to. Before they kill everyone else." Mrs Moore said.

The Doctor looked as though he was finding this decision hard. Hermione grabbed his hand "There already dead, this will be a mercy." She whispered.

Mrs Moore nodded in agreement "There's no choice, Doctor. It's got to be done." She stood.

The Doctor and Hermione were still staring at Sally's body. Neither of them noticed that a Cyberman was standing right behind Mrs Moore. It grabbed her by the neck and killed her. The Doctor stood in horror, pulling Hermione close to him.

"No! No! You didn't have to kill her!" the Doctor shouted furious.

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system." The Cyberman stated to the Doctor "You are an unknown upgrade." It turned to Hermione "You are dying." Hermione flinched at the reminder "You will be taken for analysis." The Doctor, looked disgusted by them and held Hermione tighter, but allowed them to be lead off by two other Cybermen.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione were marched into the main control room of Battersea. Rose and Pete were both in the room too, by the computers. "We've been captured, but don't worry Hermione. Rose and Pete are still out there, they can rescue us...oh well, never mind." The Doctor turned to Rose "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." Rose nodded "But they got Jackie."

"We were too late." Pete said sadly "Lumic killed her."

The Doctor looked round "Then where is he?" he asked loudly as he pulled a chair over for Hermione to sit on "The famous Mr Lumic? Don't we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?"

"He has been upgraded." A Cyberman answered.

"So he's just like you?" the Doctor asked it.

"He is superior." It stated "The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller." They all turned as the sliding doors opened. Mr Lumic, now as a Cyberman, rolled through them. He was sitting on an elaborate chair, covered with wires and tubes. Pete stood in amazement.

"This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator." Lumic stated. Before Lumic could continue screams were clearly heard from Lumic's control room.

"That's my friends at work. Good boys!" The Doctor grinned "Mr Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will." He winked.

"I have factories waiting on seven continents. If the ear-pods have failed, then Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world." Lumic stated. "I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace, and unity, and uniformity."

"And imagination? What about that?" The Doctor asked "The one thing that lead you here. Imagination, you're killing it, dead!"

"What is your name?" Lumic asked.

"I'm the Doctor."

"A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

The Doctor stepped forward in his enthusiasm "Yeah, but that's it! That's exactly the point!" he shook his head despairingly "Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man...I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room. But everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is so human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for? Eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop! You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts. Lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people."

"You are proud of your emotions?" Lumic asked.

"Oh, yes."

"Then tell me, Doctor, have you known grief, and rage, and pain?"

"Yes. Yes, I have." Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it knowing his mind went back to the Time War.

"And they hurt?"

"Oh yes." The Doctor nodded.

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?"

"What is life without pain?" Hermione asked it making everyone turn to her "Pain helps define who we are, pain teaches use new ways to handle life. Who would we be without it?"

The Doctor nodded in agreement "You might as well kill me."

"Then I take that option." Lumic said.

"It's not yours to take." The Doctor snapped "You're a cyber controller. You don't control me or anything with blood in its heart."

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own."

The Doctor put his face in his palm, exasperated "You just don't get it, do you? An army's nothing. 'Cos those ordinary people, they're the key." He glanced at the security camera "The most ordinary person could change the world. Some ordinary man or woman...some idiot...All it takes is for him to find, say, the right numbers...say, the right codes...say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him. 'Cos even an idiot knows how to use computers these days. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords...knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under...what was it, Pete? Binary what?"

"Binary 9." Pete said loudly.

"An idiot could find that code. The cancellation code. And he'd keep on typing. Keep on fighting." The Doctor looked meaningfully into the camera "Anything to save his friends..."

"Your words are irrelevant." Lumic cut in.

The Doctor just grinned "Talk too much, that's my problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose. For all our long chats. On your phone." He gave another meaningful glance into the camera and did the 'phone' sign.

"You will be deleted."

"Yes, delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons. Then of course, my particular favourite, send." The Doctor said "And let's not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place." Rose's mobile beeped, indicating that she had just received a message. "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else..." He loitered by one particular computer.

"It's for you." Rose called chucking him her mobile.

He caught it "Like this." He shoved it into a port, it fitting perfectly.

All hell broke loose and the Cybermen clutched onto their heads, moaning. The code flashed on every single computer screen. The Cybermen, all over the factory, fell around and started twitching, crying out and clutching their metal skulls. One of them caught sight of their reflection in a piece of metal and was whimpering and touching its face and fingering its reflection.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said to it sadly.

"What have you done?" Lumic asked furiously.

The Doctor helped Hermione up and tightly held her hand "I gave them back their souls." He said "They can see what you've done, Lumic! And it's killing them."

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete ran from the room.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" they heard Lumic call.

Small explosions erupted all over the factory, whilst the Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete ran for their lives, looking for a way out. They tried one door but found the way blocked by a wailing Cybermen. The Doctor shut it quickly again.

"There's no way out!" he shouted.

Rose's mobile beeped again and she held it to her ear. She turned to the Doctor, Hermione and Pete "It's Mickey. He says 'head for the roof'."

The four of them ran up a flight of stairs, trying to avoid the explosions and flames. Rose reached the top of the ladder to the roof and leaped over the wall, followed by the Doctor, Hermione and Pete. They halted when they saw the zeppelin.

"Mickey, where'd you learn to fly that thing?!" Rose asked shocked before she hung up when she received her answer.

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Pete bolted forward, flinching at the random explosions all around them. They made it to the Zeppelin as Mickey dropped a flimsy ladder down.

"You've got to be kidding." The Doctor muttered "Rose, get up!"

Rose started to climb the ladder and the Doctor led Hermione over to the ladder next before he followed right behind her, Pete after him. They all clung to the ladder as the zeppelin raised up and away.

"We did it! We did it!" Rose cheered.

The ladder suddenly jerked downwards. Hermione and Rose screamed as they nearly fell off. They all look down to find Lumic hanging onto the bottom rungs. He started to climb up after them.

The Doctor took his sonic screwdriver out of his jacket pocket "Pete!" he shouted down "Take this!" He dropped it into Pete's outstretched hand before he moved further up the ladder to hold Hermione in place. "Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope, just do it!"

"Jackie Tyler, this is for her!" Pete shouted as he pressed the button down and held the sonic screwdriver against the rope ladder. Lumic was getting closer and closer and for a moment it seems like it wasn't going to work, but then the rope finally snapped causing Lumic to fall.

"Nooooooo!" Lumic shouted.

Pete laughed with delight as they watched Lumic fall into the flames below. Hermione sagged in relief and the Doctor placed his forehead against her temple. "We're okay. We're safe, we're okay." He whispered to her.

Neither noticed the sour look on Rose's face at the sight of them and how it turned into deep hatred when the Doctor kissed Hermione's temple softly. She turned quickly and climbed up the ladder, the Doctor, Hermione and Pete following her shortly after as the zeppelin carried them all to safety.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione walked into the dark TARDIS, the Doctor carrying the power cell. He put it in place, and the TARDIS sprung to life. The lights coming back on and it began to hum again. A huge grin spread across the Doctor's face and Hermione smiled as she started to feel the TARDISes warmth wash over her.

She walked forward and patted the console "I missed you." She said and she felt a hum in her mind like the TARDIS was returning the sentiment.

Hermione turned and saw the Doctor watching her with a smile "She likes you."

"I guessed." She smiled "Come on, let's say goodbye to Pete and Jake." Hermione grabbed his hand and they walked out the TARDIS doors.

"Rose?" the Doctor called. Rose turned and Pete looked over. The Doctor jogged over as Hermione walked slowly to join them "I've only got five minutes of power...we've gotta go."

Rose turned to Pete "The Doctor could show ya..." she said.

"Thank you. For everything." Pete cut in.

Tears gathered in Rose's eyes as she looked at Pete intensely "Dad."

"Don't. Just...just don't." He turned to Hermione "You're not my Hermione are you?" she shook her head apologetically, he just nodded before he walked away.

The Doctor scratched the back of his neck as he always did when he was uncomfortable, and looked at Rose. Mickey and Jake approached, Mickey holding the Doctor's suit.

"Here it is! I found it. Not a crease." Mickey laughed handing it over.

The Doctor took it overjoyed "My suit! Good man! Now then, Jake, we've gotta run. But one more thing; Mrs Moore. Her real name is Angela Price. She's got a husband out there..."

"And children." Hermione cut in.

The Doctor nodded "…And children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world."

"Yeah, course I will." Jake nodded.

"Off we go, then!" the Doctor said.

"Uh...thing is, I'm staying." Mickey said.

The Doctor stared "You're doing what?"

"You can't." Rose said also staring at him upset.

Mickey glanced at Hermione who was looking at him sadly, but she just nodded her head giving him her support. "It sort of balances out, 'cos this world lost its Ricky." he said looking back to Rose his voice trembling "But there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there."

"But you can't stay."

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran, remember her?" Mickey said as Rose tried to hold her tears back.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"She _needs_ me."

"What about _me_? What if _I _need you?"

"Yeah, but Rose...you don't. It's just you and him, isn't it?" he looked at the Doctor, and then back to Rose "We had something a long time ago, but...not anymore."

"Well...we'll come back." Rose said grasping at straws "We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't." the Doctor said quietly "I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We...we fell through a crack in time. When we leave...I've got to close it. We can't ever return." He looked at Mickey, as if asking him if this was what he really wanted. Rose looks defeated as Mickey glanced at her, then held his hand out to the Doctor.

"Doctor." He shook his hand.

"Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories." Mickey nodded "And good luck. Mickey the Idiot." He slapped his cheek with a twinkle in his eye.

"Watch it!" Mickey said smiling. Hermione stepped forward and pulled Mickey into a tight hug "Stay safe and keep the Doctor out of trouble."

"Impossible." Hermione laughed as she pulled back "I knew this would happen, just not so soon." She mumbled sadly "I'll miss you."

"Miss you, too." Mickey mumbled. Hermione turned to go back to the TARDIS and Mickey gave the Doctor a pointed look that said 'if you hurt her…' the Doctor nodded before he sauntered back to the TARDIS and slipped inside.

oOo

Hermione stood in the kitchen of her Aunts flat staring at the boiling kettle. They had returned so that Rose could see that her Jackie was alive and well and also to tell her about Mickey's choice. She had decided to give Rose and Jackie space as the Doctor explained how Mickey will never be able to come back to this world, so she gone into the kitchen to make a cup of tea for everyone.

She smiled as she waved her wand and four cups floated out of the cupboard. She had been relieved when they had made it back to their universe and had instantly felt better and she couldn't stop using magic, she had missed it. She heard a noise behind her and saw Rose stood there.

"Do you still have two sugars?" Hermione asked. Rose just nodded.

There was a long silence before it was broken "I want you to leave." Rose said.

Hermione frowned "Sorry…?"

"I want you to leave." Rose repeated "Things changed when you arrived…Mickey would still be here."

"You must be delusional if you think that." Hermione said "Mickey left because he no longer wanted to be your spare part. He also got his Gran back, the woman who raised him. like he'd give up the chance to be with her."

"That's not true, he would've stayed with me." Rose gritted out "So I want you to leave."

"That's never going to happen." Hermione stated.

"He doesn't like you, the Doctor, why would he like you? You have nothing going for you. No looks, friends and you're a freak." Rose snapped "You're so desperate for someone to like you that I bet you faked that whole dying thing."

"That wasn't fake."

"Of course it was." Rose scoffed.

"Would you have cared if I had died?" Hermione asked, Rose stayed silent and shrugged "You probably would have danced on my grave delighted that now you got all of the Doctors attention." Hermione looked Rose over thoughtfully "You're not upset that Mickey's gone. You're upset that I didn't leave also. You're happy Mickey's gone because he no longer needs your attention and now you can give it all to the Doctor." Rose glared at her "Why would the Doctor like a girl like that?"

"You bitch…" Rose raised her hand to slap Hermione but it was stopped by a tight grip before she was shoved backwards.

"Don't" the Doctor growled at Rose.

"She started it." Rose said quickly thinking she now had a chance to get rid of Hermione "She was saying all these mean things and…"

"She was defending herself from you." The Doctor said "I heard you from the start." Rose paled "You don't get to decided who stays and who leaves, it's my ship and I want Hermione there." He turned to Hermione and checked to see if she was alright before he turned back to Rose "I will not have any hostility on my ship, if I see it once more your back here."

"Doctor…" Rose started, not wanting to leave her Doctor, because that was who he was _hers_.

"Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" he grounded out. Rose nodded. "Apologise or you're staying here."

"Sorry." Rose mumbled before she quickly stormed out.

The Doctor turned to Hermione "I don't think we could ever tell her about us." Hermione said as she looked after Rose "She so in love with you that she would be happy that I died, her own family." Tears fell from Hermione's eyes at the thought "Theta." She whispered.

The Doctor pulled her into a hug and hushed her as he wiped the tears away "We'll find a way around it somehow." He mumbled. "Let's get back to the TARDIS, we'll have adventure after adventure to distract her."

Hermione nodded as he led her into the TARDIS "Could we go and see Elvis?" Hermione asked him. The Doctor grinned and nodded as the climbed through the TARDIS doors, both hoping the hostility from Rose will calm.


	7. Chapter 6: The Idiot

**Chapter 6: The Idiot's Lantern**

Hermione stepped out onto the pavement. She was dressed in 50's style clothing. She wore a navy blue, white polka dot top which was tucked into a big baby blue skirt. She had a pair of nude heels on her feet and white sunglasses on. Her hair was in silk curls and half of it was pinned up. Behind her Rose stepped out, also in 50's style clothing. She was wearing a bigger pink skirt with layers of netting underneath, a blue jean jacket and pink heels. Her blonde hair was in a bun with a pink scarf tied around it.

Rose smiled at Hermione and nodded in appreciation at her outfit. Ever since the harsh words exchanged between the two, Rose had been overly nice to her. Hermione didn't by it, she had gone to school with Lavender and Pavrati and knew when someone was being fake. Hermione knew Rose was only doing it to get back into the Doctors good graces again, as for two days after the incident he ignored her.

He now believed that Rose was changing in attitude towards Hermione. She didn't believe it for one second. But she didn't want to ruin the Doctors image of Rose. She knew he considered Rose as a sister and he had been shocked at how she had treated Hermione. Although she did warn him that Rose was still completely and utterly in love with him and will try and continue to prove herself more worthy of him than she was.

"I thought we'd be going for the Vegas era," Rose called back "you know, the white flares and the..." she growled seductively "chest hair."

The Doctor poked his head round the TARDIS door, his head gelled back, teddy-boy style. "You are kidding, aren't you?" he asked "You wanna see Elvis, you go in the late 50's! The time before burgers." He disappeared back inside "When they called him 'the Pelvis' and he still had a waist." Rose and Hermione laughed "What's more, you see him in style!" the Doctor called from inside, Rose and Hermione looked round to the TARDIS as they heard the sound of an engine. The Doctor rode out of the TARDIS on a blue late-50's moped! Which had a sidecar attached to it. Rose laughed in amusement as Hermione chuckled and shook her head. The Doctor stopped in front of Hermione, big sunglasses and a white helmet on his head. "You goin' my way, doll?" the Doctor asked putting an Elvis-style expression and voice on.

Hermione walked towards the moped and sat behind the Doctor "Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?" she asked in an American accent "Straight from the fridge, man!" she laughed.

The Doctor looked delighted at her as he handed her a blue helmet "Hey, you speak the lingo!"

Hermione put the helmet on "Yeah well...me, Rose and Aunt Jackie, Cliff Richard movies every Bank Holiday Monday."

The Doctor smiled and chucked Rose a pink helmet and she put it on as she grumpily sat in the sidecar.

The Doctor threw the two an 'I knew it!' face. "Ah, Cliff! I knew your mother'd be a Cliff fan." He told Rose. He then pulled off down the street, zooming away.

"Where we off to?" Rose asked over the engines as Hermione had her arms tightly around the Doctor.

"Ed Sullivan TV Studios, Elvis did 'Hound Dog' on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it." The Doctor replied.

"And that'll be TV studios in, New York?" Hermione asked.

"That's the one!" the Doctor grinned happily.

Suddenly a red London bus drove past the end of the street, the Doctor stopped. Hermione looked round and spotted a red post box and Union flag bunting hanging from rooftop to rooftop. The Doctor looked bemused as Rose laughed it off.

"Digging that New York vibe!" Hermione said amused.

"Well...this could still be New York, I mean this looks very New York to me...sort of...Londony New York, mind..." the Doctor said as he looked around.

"What are all the flags for?" Rose asked.

oOo

"There you go, sir, all wired up for the great occasion." A man said as two errand boys removed a television from a van and carried it into a house as the house owner looked on.

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose walk over to the man. "The great occasion? What d'you mean?" the Doctor asked.

"Where've you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course." The man said.

"What Coronation's that, then?"

"What d'you mean?" the man asked bemused "The Coronation."

The Doctor gave a blank look and turned to Hermione for help. "Queen Elizabeth's." she said.

It suddenly clicked in the Doctors head "Oh! Oh, is this 1953?!" he asked.

Hermione nodded as the man answered "Last time I looked. Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best."

Rose looked at the chimney's "Look at all the TV aerials...looks like everyone's got one. That's weird, my Nan said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house."

"Not round here, love." The man said "Magpie's Marvellous Tellies, only five quid a box."

The Doctor wandered a short way round the street, thinking. He suddenly cut in, all smiles and energy. "Oh but this is a brilliant year! Classic! Technicolour, Everest climbed, everything off the ration." He put on a typical BBC English accent "The Nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future!" Hermione laughed and shook her head.

Suddenly, a woman's shouts were heard. "Someone help me, please! Ted!" A man with a blanket over his head was being bundled into a black police car by two suited men. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose ran over. "Leave him alone, it's my husband!"

"What's going on?" the Doctor demanded as the blanketed man was pushed into the back seat.

A young boy ran out of a house "Oi, what are you doing?!" he demanded.

One of the suited men addressed the Doctor "Police business, now get out of the way, sir!"

Rose turned to the boy "Who did they take, do you know him?"

"Must be Mr Gallagher..." the boy trailed of like he wasn't sure. The car drove off, leaving Mrs Gallagher in despair. A woman came out of the house the boy came from. "It's happening all over the place. They're turning into monsters..." the boy said as a man came from the same house.

"Tommy!" the man shouted "Not one word!" the Doctor, Hermione and Rose looked at the man. "Get inside now!"

Tommy looked to the Doctor, Hermione and Rose "Sorry, I'd better do as he says..." Tommy walked away as Mrs Gallagher still sobbed.

The Doctor put on his sunglasses again and ran over to the moped and kicks it into life. Hermione followed and climbed on the back as Rose jumped into the sidecar.

"All aboard!" the Doctor called.

oOo

The Doctor rounded the moped into a dead ended street. At the end was a wooden market with two men sweeping in front of it.

"Lost 'em! How'd they get away from us?" the Doctor asked bemused.

"Surprised they didn't turn back and arrest you for reckless driving, have you actually passed your test?!" Rose teased.

The Doctor just ignored her "Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia!"

"Monsters, that boy said..." Hermione said thoughtfully and the Doctor turned to her.

"Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours." Rose said.

"That's what I like about you. The domestic approach." The Doctor said to her sweetly.

Rose grinned "Thank you..." she trailed off thinking on what the Doctor said as he kicked the moped back to life "Hold on, was that an insult...?" Hermione chuckled into the Doctors back as he drove them away, pretending he couldn't hear her over the engines.

oOo

They now stood in front of Tommy's house and the Doctor rang the doorbell. They didn't have to wait long as the door opened to reveal Tommy's father.

The Doctor and Rose wore identical cheesy grins "Hiiiiii!" they said in unison as Hermione just shook her head at the pair.

The man regarded the three of them suspiciously, as Tommy lurked in the background. "Who are you, then?" the man asked.

"Let's see then," the Doctor said looking the man over "judging by the look of you, family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war, therefore, I represent Queen and country!" he held up psychic paper with a flourish "Just doing a little check of Her Majesty's forthcoming subjects for the great day. Don't mind if I come in? Nah, didn't think you did, thank you!" He barged past the man before he could protest and Hermione and Rose followed suit. They all walked into the living room. "Not bad, very nice! Very well kept! I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs...?"

"Connolly." The woman answered timidly.

"Now then Rita, I can handle this. This gentleman's a proper representative!" Mr Connolly said. The Doctor gave Rita, who looked terrified, a wink. Rose perched herself on the arm of a chair and Hermione looked at the television frowning "Don't mind the wife, she rattles on a bit."

"Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more." The Doctor said making both Tommy and Mr Connolly look at him shocked. The Doctor just continued, unfazed. "I'm not convinced you're doing your patriotic duty." He glanced briefly at the flags around the room, waiting to be put up. "Nice flags. Why are they not flying?"

"There we are Rita," Mr Connolly said after a nervous pause "I told you, get them up, Queen and country!" The Doctor looked sceptical, and began to move over to Mr Connolly. Hermione pulled her attention from the television and grabbed the Doctors arm calming him slightly.

"I'm sorry..." Rita began.

"Get it done! Do it now."

"Hold on a minute..." the Doctor said.

"Like the gentleman says."

"Hold on a minute." The Doctor repeated "You've got hands, Mr Connolly. Two big hands! Why is that your wife's job?" he asked.

"It's housework, innit?"

"And that's a woman's job?" Hermione asked stepping forward, continuing on from the Doctor.

"Course it is!" Mr Connolly exclaimed.

"Mr Connolly, what gender is the Queen?" She asked.

"She's a female." Mr Connolly replied growing increasingly defensive.

"And are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?" the Doctor asked. A small smile grew on Tommy's face as he watched Hermione win the confrontation, as Eddie inevitably gave into logic after a moment of hesitation. Even Rita seemed a little heartened by her husband's humiliation.

"No! Not at all!" Hermione handed Mr Connolly a string of flags and gave him an insistent stare.

"Then get busy." She said. She turned to the Doctor to see and impressed look in his eyes "That's down to 7 years of making Harry and Ron do their homework." She told him.

"Right, yes sir, ma'am." Mr Connolly called as he set about hanging the flags, feigning enthusiasm. Neither the Doctor, Hermione, Tommy nor Rose seem fooled. "You'll be proud of us, sir, ma'am! We'll have Union Jacks left, right and centre!"

Rose suddenly got up wanting to impress the Doctor more, hands on hips. "'Scuse me, Mr Connolly, hang on a minute! Union Jacks?"

Mr Connolly paused and looked at her "Yes, that's right, isn't it?"

"That's the Union Flag. It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea." Rose stated. Tommy's smile grew into a grin, as Mr Connolly tried to humble himself.

"Oh... oh, I'm sorry, I do apologise!"

Rose smiled widely "Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man. Now get to it!" she said forcibly. Mr Connolly hastily got back to work and Rose flashed the Doctor a coy smile, making Hermione roll her eyes. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose sat on the sofa, making themselves comfortable and grinning. The Doctor in between Hermione and Rose.

"Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure!" he turned to Rose "Union Flag?" he asked Rose quietly.

"Mum went out with a sailor." Rose told him.

"Oohohohoo! I bet she did!" he raised his voice speaking to the room "Anyway, I'm the Doctor and this is Hermione and Rose, and you are?" He looked at Tommy, who seemed surprised to be noticed.

"Tommy." He answered.

Rose shuffled aside on the couch and pulled the Doctor with her before she leaned over him and patted the space between Hermione and him. She shot Hermione a smug look and wrapped her arm around the Doctors who tensed at the touch that wasn't his soulmates. He looked to Hermione and saw the 'what did I tell you' look on her face, but also a look of struggle crossed her face as she held her magic back from the threat to her soulmate. His view of her was blocked by Tommy sitting between him and Hermione silently.

"Well, sit yourself down, Tommy." The Doctor said as he unravelled Rose's arm from his, getting a pout from her but he ignored it. The Doctor motioned to the other chair in the room for Rita to sit also. "Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think it's brilliant!" Tommy replied.

"Good man!" They watched the programme, apparently about fossils, silently for a few moments before the Doctor turned around to check on Mr Connolly, who was still hanging the flags. "Keep working Mr C!" He turned to Rita, dropping the cheerful act and speaking quietly, so that Mr Connolly didn't hear. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Did you say you were a doctor?" Rita asked somewhat reluctantly.

"One of the best." Hermione told her.

"Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?"

Mr Connolly overheard the last part of the conversation, and interrupted. "Now then Rita, I don't think the gentleman needs to know..."

The Doctor cut him off "No, the gentleman does!" Rita began to cry, and Rose moved forward on her seat to address her.

"Tell us what's wrong, and we can help." Rose said gently. Rita sobbed louder, and she just shook her head helplessly. Rose went over and wrapped a comforting arm around her, and the Doctor and Hermione watched with a concerned frown. "I'm sorry, come on, come on..."

"Hold on a minute!" Mr Connolly said "Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house!" He looked down at the flags in his hands and chucked them down. The Doctor propped his head on his forearm and balled his fist, appearing calm but giving the distinct impression that he's restraining himself. Hermione placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it feeling him relax slightly under it "What the...what the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor! You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!"

"All the people are being bundled into..." the Hermione stated.

"I am talking!" Mr Connolly shouted making Hermione jump.

The Doctor stood quickly not liking how Mr Connolly was scaring his soulmate, he raised his voice even louder than Mr Connolly's and pushed him backwards as he loomed over him. "And I'm not listening! Now you, Mr Connolly, are staring into a deep, dark PIT of trouble if you don't let me help." Mr Connolly was clearly shaken, and both Tommy and Rita look scared again, unsure of how to react. Rose looked startled at the Doctors reaction. "So I'm ordering you, sir, to tell me what's going on!"

Mr Connolly tried to think of something to say, but was stopped by the sound of banging coming from upstairs. His eyes and the Doctors rolled upwards, Tommy looked around nervously, and Rita sighed and shook her head.

"She won't stop." Mr Connolly said in slight fear as the banging continued, louder this time. "She never stops."

"We started hearing stories, all round the place." Tommy found the confidence to explain in a slightly shaky voice, and the Doctor turned to regarded him. Rita looked upset and Mr Connolly guiltily tried to regain some composer "People who've...changed. Families keeping it secret 'cause they were scared. The police started finding out. We don't know how, no one does. They just...turn up, come to the door and take 'em. Any time of the day or night."

"Show me." the Doctor demanded.

They all walked out of the living room and up the stairs. They walked down a corridor and stopped outside a bedroom door. Tommy silently opened the door and stepped in. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose close behind.

"Gran?" Tommy called "It's Tommy. 'S all right Gran, I've brought help."

Tommy's Gran was stood by the window. She slowly approached them and Tommy stepped a little further inside. He turned on the light, to show his Gran with no face, all the features were gone, and it was smoothed over. Rose gulped, and the Doctor and Hermione simply stared with a furrowed brows.

The Doctor stepped forward to examine the blank face and Hermione moved behind Tommy's Gran casting a silent diagnostic spell and frowned at the readings. Rose stood behind the Doctor, Tommy and Rita were close together behind her, and Mr Connolly remained completely outside of the room with a grim expression.

"Her face is completely gone." The Doctor observed with an air of frustration. He scanned Tommy's Gran with the sonic screwdriver, and Rose still looked uneasy. "Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost complete neural shutdown, she's ticking over, like her brain has been..."

"…wiped clean." Hermione finished as she came up next to the Doctor "I got the same." She whispered to him. He nodded as he put the sonic screwdriver away, but still examined the blank face.

"What're we gonna do, Doctor?" Tommy asked "We can't even feed her!" They were interrupted by the crash downstairs.

"We've got company..." Rose stated obviously.

"It's them, they've come for her!" Rita gasped.

"What was she doing before this happened?" the Doctor asked hurriedly "Where was she?" Rita hesitated as the policemen clambered up the stairs. "Tell me, quickly, think!"

"I can't think! She doesn't leave the house! She was just..." Tommy was cut off by the entrance of a big, burly man and some supporting officers.

The Doctor tried to buy some time. "Hold on a minute!" he stepped forward "There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One..."

Much to Hermione's and Rose's horror, the burly man punched the Doctor in the face, hard. The Doctor collapsed, unconscious. Hermione bent down quickly before Rose could get to him.

"Doctor!" they called in unison.

The men took the opportunity to throw a blanket over Tommy's gran and ushered her to the stairs, as Rose slapped the Doctor's cheeks in an attempt to wake him up.

"Leave her alone!" Rita shouted as the men barged Rita aside, leaving Tommy to catch her. Mr Connolly just pushed the men away, encouraging them to leave quicker.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Rose called still slapping his cheeks. Still nothing happed so Hermione aimed her wand and produced cold water onto his face. He suddenly sat up as if nothing happened.

"Ah, hell of a right hook! Have to watch out for that!" the Doctor quickly stood and belted down the stairs, Hermione and Rose after him. Hermione made it down first and Rose shortly after not being as fast as Hermione in her heels. "Hermione, Rose, come on!" the Doctor called from outside.

"Get back inside!" Mr Connolly growled at Tommy.

Rose paused at the entrance to the living room, noticing red, buzzing tendrils of electricity coming out of the television. Hermione stopped at the front door when she noticed Rose had stopped. She walked up to her to see the red tendrils as well.

"Hermione, Rose, we're gonna lose them again!" the Doctor called.

Hermione was torn between running to the Doctor and watching the television. The tendrils were absorbed back into the television, prompting her and Rose to move closer. Hermione rushed forward and fumbled with the television. She turned it around to see the red electricity still buzzing along the aerial, and a large label saying 'Magpie Electricals.' Tommy, Rita and Eddie came back into the living room.

"How did they find her? Who told 'em?" Tommy asked.

Mr Connolly noticed Hermione and Rose "You two! Get the hell out of my house!"

Hermione stood up and quickly grabbed Rose's hand pulling her towards the exit "We're going, we're done! Nice to meet you Tommy, Mrs Connolly. And as for you, Mr Connolly, only an idiot hangs the Union Flag upside-down. Shame on you!" She grinned cheerfully before running out of the house.

oOo

After telling Rose where the TV came from, Rose decided that they should investigate. Hermione had suggested going to get the Doctor but Rose had just walked away.

Rose entered Magpie's shop, Hermione behind her. "Still think we should have got the Doctor." Hermione whispered.

"Shut it." Rose snapped "If you're scared, leave."

Hermione snorted before she walked past Rose. How could she be scared? She had faced war and life threatening circumstances most of her life. Magpie looked up nervously as Hermione came closer.

"Oh…I…I'm sorry miss, I'm afraid you're too late." Mr Magpie said when he noticed her "I was just about to lock the door."

Rose closed the door.

"Yeah?" Hermione asked "Well, I wanna buy a telly."

"Come back tomorrow. Please." He replied.

"You'll be closed, won't ya?" Rose asked.

Magpie looked confused "What?"

"For the big day? The coronation..."

"Yes, yes, of course. The big day." He tried to make Hermione and Rose go away as they walked closer to him. "I'm sure you'll find somewhere to watch it. Please go."

"Seems to me half of London's got a television, since you're practically giving them away." Hermione commented as she looked at all the TVs he had.

"I have my reasons." He told her.

"And what are they?" Rose asked.

Before he could answer, one of the TVs on display tuned itself, and a woman appeared on the screen. "Hungry! Hungry!" it said.

"What's that?"

"It's just a television. One of these modern programmes. Now, I really do think you should leave! Right now!"

"Not until you've answered our questions." Hermione gritted out as she stared at the woman on the TV "How come your televisions are so cheap?"

"It's my patriotic duty." Magpie answered "Seems only right that as many folk as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be losing the Empire but we can still be proud! Twenty million people they reckon'll be watching! Imagine that!" Hermione and Rose smiled, obviously not convinced. "And twenty million people can't be wrong, eh? So why don't you get yourself back home and get up, bright and early, for the big day?" Magpie continued urgently.

"Nah, I'm not leaving 'til I've seen everything." Rose said standing her ground.

"I need to close."

"Mr Magpie," Hermione stepped forward "something's happening out there. Ordinary people are being struck down and changed, and the only new thing in the house is a television. Your television. What's going on?"

"I knew this would happen." Magpie said finally giving up all pretence "I knew I'd be found out." He locked the door and Hermione and Rose looked at each other uneasy.

"All right, then, it's just you and us..." Rose said cautiously "you gonna come clean, then? What's really in it for you?"

"For me?" he asked "Perhaps some peace."

"From what?" Hermione frowned.

"From Her." He glanced over at the woman on the TV screen. Hermione and Rose following his gaze.

"That's just a woman on the telly, that's just a programme." Hermione said uncertain getting a feeling it wasn't.

"What a pretty little girls." The woman grinned.

Rose stared shocked "Oh, my God, are you talking to us?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you, little ones. Unseasonably chilly for the time of year, don't you think?"

"What are you?" Hermione asked stepping closer to Rose.

"I'm the Wire." she answered "And I'm hungrrrrrrrrrryyyyyy...!" She bared her teeth as pinkish purplish bolts of electricity shot out of the screen and encompass Hermione and Rose's face, sucking them towards her.

"Magpie, help me!" Rose called as Hermione tried to pull out her wand.

"Just think of that audience tomorrow, my dear..." Magpie said sadly. Hermione and Rose moaned. "All sitting down to watch the coronation. Twenty million people. Things will never be the same again." He sounded close to tears "I'm sorry. So sorry."

Suddenly Hermione was released and the wire gagged "Horrid girl, she tastes horrid." Hermione rolled onto her stomach and tried to stand as Rose helplessly called for help "Get rid of the horrid one Magpie."

Hermione looked up as Magpie suddenly loomed over her with a heavy object in his hand and then darkness. The last thing she was.

"Goodnight, children. Everywhere."

oOo

"Start from the beginning, tell me everything you know." A man said standing over the Doctor, who was sat at the other side of Bishop's desk in his office.

"Well... for starters... I know you can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet." The Doctor said seriously, trying to keep his worry for Hermione at bay.

The man pointed at the Doctor "Don't get clever with me." he reprimanded "You were there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. Now, you're connected with this. Make no mistake."

"Well, the thing is, Detective Inspector Bishop..."

"How do you know my name?" the man asked.

The Doctor looked apologetic "It's...written inside your collar. Bishop looked slightly embarrassed and adjusted his collar. "Bless your mum. But, I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting. Are you?"

"I'm doing everything in my power." Bishop defended.

"All you're doing is grabbing those faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can. Don't tell me, orders from above, hmm? Coronation Day...The eyes of the world are on London Town...so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight." The Doctor was spinning from side to side on the chair, completely relaxed.

Bishop looked slightly irritated that the Doctor already seemed to knows all about their inside goings-on. "The nation has an imagine to maintain." He said.

"Doesn't it drive you mad?" the Doctor asked incredulous "Doing nothing? Don't you wanna get out there and investigate?"

"Course I do. But..." Bishop sat down, ready to confide in the Doctor. "With all the crowds expected, we haven't got the man-power. Even if we did...this is...beyond anything we've ever seen." He said helpless "I just don't know anymore. Twenty years on the force..." the Doctor leaned towards him and listened carefully "...I don't even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on."

"Well...that could change." The Doctor stated.

"How?" The Doctor stood, looking down at D.I. Bishop, it's was as though their roles had been reversed.

"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know." The Doctor said.

oOo

The Doctor and Bishop were standing by a large map on a stand.

"We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. Heads just...blank." Bishop told the Doctor.

"Is there any sort of pattern?" the Doctor asked as he examined a file he found on a nearby desk.

"Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the City. Men, women, kids...grannies...the only real lead is there's been quite a large number in..."

"Florizel Street." The Doctor finished for him. There was a knock at the door, making the Doctor and Bishop look up.

"Found another one, sir." A policeman said and a man ushered the blanket-covered figure in through the doorway. The Doctor spotting the familiar pink skirt.

"Oh, er, good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor..." The Doctor dropped the files on the table and walked slowly towards Rose, not wanting to believe it... "Take a good look. See what you can deduce." The policeman took the blanket off Rose's head.

The Doctor's eyes widen with horror as he approached her. "Rose." He breathed.

"Do you know her?" Bishop asked.

"Know her? She..." he froze realising Hermione wasn't there he turned and looked to the policeman "Was she alone?"

"No, they found a body next to her in the street, apparently, over at Master Square, abandoned."

"That's unusual, that's the first one out in the open." Bishop said "Heaven help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day, we'll have Torchwood on our back, make no mistake…"

"What? Where?" the Doctor interrupted coldly.

"I'm sorry?" Bishop asked.

"Where's the body?" he asked.

"A room down the hall." The policeman said. The Doctor stormed out quickly to find Hermione.

oOo

Hermione gasped awake and found herself lying in a dark room on a table and her face covered with a sheet. She pulled it down and sat up before staring at Death who floated beside the table.

"Mistress." he bowed "I'm going to have my work cut out now, aren't I?" he asked sounding amused.

"I believe so." Hermione muttered.

"Congratulations on your soulmate, Mistress." He stated "Never liked the Weasel."

Hermione snorted before she heard rushing footsteps coming towards where she was "See you next time, Death."

"Mistress." He bowed before he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke before the door slammed open.

"Hermione!" The Doctor shouted as he rushed over to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her and he kissed her deeply. He pulled back and growled when he spotted the dry blood on her forehead "What happened?"

"We went to Magpies, I told her to wait for you but she just went anyway. Magpie tried to make us leave, we didn't. There was this woman on the telly, she did something…" Hermione frowned "She said I tasted horrid and then Magpie whacked me with something."

The Doctor growled again before kissing her deeply once more. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck pulling herself closer to him. There was a cough behind them and they pulled apart.

"How…?" the policeman said from behind Bishop "She was dead, I checked."

"Not properly then." Bishop said.

"Where's Rose?" Hermione asked.

"They found her with no face, you unconscious next to her." The Doctor answered.

"Where?" she asked.

"Just...in the street." Bishop said.

"In the street." The Doctor said quietly "They left them in the street. They took her face and hurt Hermione and just chucked them out and left them in the street. And as a result, that makes things...simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?" he asked Bishop.

"No..."

"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Come on!" the Doctor shouted as he helped Hermione of the table and both of them made for the door.

The Doctor, Hermione and Bishop burst out of the gates and into the dawn sunlight.

"The big day dawns..." Bishop said.

The Doctor didn't reply he just moved on immediately, Hermione beside him.

oOo

The Doctor knocked on the door to the Connolly house and it was opened by Tommy.

"Tommy, talk to me." the Doctor said and Tommy stepped outside the door, closing it behind him. "I need to know exactly what happened inside your house."

Mr Connolly pulled the door open violently and rounded on Tommy. "What the blazes do you think you're doing?" he asked roughly.

"I wanna help, dad." Tommy said.

"Mr Connolly..." the Doctor started warningly.

"Shut your face, you. Whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves." Mr Connolly snapped before he turned back to Tommy "Listen you, little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain." The Doctor, Hermione and Bishop watched silently "People round here respect me. It matters what people think."

"Is that why you did it, dad?" Tommy asked.

Mr Connolly was taken aback by the question "What d'you mean? Did what?"

"You ratted on gran. How else would the police know where to look? Unless some coward told them..."

"How dare you?" Mr Connolly raged "You think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Tommy asked "You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could do what we want. Say what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even gran. All to protect your precious reputation."

Rita stepped out having heard them "Eddie...is that true?"

"I did it for US, Rita! She was filthy. A filthy, disgusting thing." Mr Connolly told Rita.

"She's my mother." Rita said in quiet shock "All the others, you informed on all the people in our street, our friends."

"I had to." He flailed slightly "I did the right thing...!"

"The right thing for us...or for you, Eddie?" he stared at her as Rita turned to Tommy. "You go, Tommy. You go with the Doctor and do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it weren't my mother!" Rita slammed the door in Mr Connolly's face, close to tears, as she went back inside.

"Tommy?" Hermione called, holding her hand out to him. Tommy grabbed it and the four left Mr Connolly alone on his doorstep, locked outside his house.

They walked down the busy street as people prepared for a street party.

"Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed." The Doctor asked Tommy.

"She was just watching the telly." He replied.

The Doctor nodded and looked up at the TV aerials "Rose said it. She guessed it straight away, of course she did. All these aerials in one little street, how come?"

"Magpie is selling them cheaply." Hermione said and Tommy nodded in agreement.

The Doctor took off down the road pulling Hermione with him "Come on!" the Doctor called back to Tommy and Bishop.

The stood outside Magpies shop and the Doctor smashed the glass in the door in order to gain entry.

"Here, you can't do that..." Bishop said.

The Doctor ignored him and turned to Hermione. "Stay out here and hidden until I come back out."

Hermione shook her head "But…"

He pulled her quickly to the side "He killed you." He whispered "We can't let him reveal that he did to them." He gestured to Tommy and Bishop "I _need_ you safe."

Hermione sighed before she nodded, she kissed him quickly before she ducked round the corner. She watched silently as the Doctor, Tommy and Bishop walked into Magpies shop. She leaned back against the wall and smiled at a couple of kids that ran passed before her attention was pulled from them rounding the corner as Magpie ran out and drove off in his van. Hermione stayed where she was for several seconds to wait for the Doctor.

She frowned concerned when he didn't appear and she ran into the shop. She paused when she saw Bishop without his face. She quickly rushed over to the Doctor and crouched down "Theta." She said smacking his face lightly.

The Doctor opened his eyes and sat up quickly. He looked round and spotted Bishop before rushing over to Tommy "Tommy, wake up! Tommy! Come on!"

Tommy woke "What happened?" he asked.

"Where's Magpie?"

"He drove off." Hermione called as the two ran outside the shop, Hermione followed them.

"We don't even know where to start looking, it's too late." Tommy said.

"It's never too late, as a wise person once said, Kylie I think..." the Doctor said "But the Wire's got a big plan...so it'll need...Yes, yes, yes, it's got to harness half the population...millions and millions of people...and where are we?" he asked Tommy.

"Muswell Hill." Tommy answered.

"Muswell Hill. Muswell Hill! Which means..." He looked around until he spotted a large building on the horizon and gestured at it with both hands. "Alexandra Palace, biggest TV transmitter in North London! Ohh! That's why they chose this place! Tommy?"

"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked.

The Doctor dashed back into the shop "We're going shopping."

Hermione and Tommy followed him in and helped him gather the equipment he asked for.

Tommy held up a device "Is this what you want?" he asked the Doctor.

"Perfect!" the Doctor nodded "Right, I need one more thing." He handed Tommy the equipment.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Tommy ran out on the streets, all loaded with equipment. "Got it, let's go." The Doctor called.

They rand down the street towards Alexandra Palace, the Doctor plugging a device into the huge equipment bank that Tommy was carrying.

Tommy spotted Magpie on the pylon "There!" he pointed.

"Come on!" the Doctor called.

"Woah, Woah, woah! Where do you think..." a guard said but was cut off when the Doctor shoved his psychic paper in his face. "Oh! I'm sorry sir! Shouldn't you be at the coronation?" he asked.

"They're saving me a seat." The guard nodded confusedly as the three ran around the corner.

"Who did he think you were?" Tommy asked.

"King of Belgium, apparently."

They entered the control room and the Doctor dashed around gathering the equipment he needed. Hermione and Tommy stood in front of a video machine and television screen.

"Keep it switched on." He told them "Don't let anyone stop you, Hermione, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?" Tommy nodded.

"Be careful." Hermione called as the Doctor ran out.

A few minutes later Hermione and Tommy jumped back when the Doctors machine sparked and broke. Hermione and Tommy rushed forward to find what part had broken so they could fix it. Once they found out which part was broken, Tommy found a new one and replaced and replugged it into the machine.

They were both watching the coronation on the screen when the Doctor returned. "What have I missed?"

"Doctor! What happened?" Tommy asked as they both turned to him.

"Sorted. Electrical creature, TV technology, clever alien life form, that's me by the way. I turned the receiver back into a transmitter and I trapped the Wire in here." He indicated the video "I just invented the home video 30 years earlier. Betamax." He noticed the TV, and the coronation footage on the screen. "Oh look! God save the Queen, eh?" he grinned. Hermione walked up to him grinning also and kissed him before she wrapped her arms around him.

"Let's go find your Gran." Hermione called to Tommy, he nodded eagerly and the three left.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Tommy returned to the street. There were loads of people milling around and meeting loved ones.

"Gran!" Tommy called when he spotted her.

"Look, it's my grandson! Oh son!" Tommy ran to his gran and they hug each other. The Doctor and Hermione smiled watching them.

The Doctor then turned and scanned the crowd for Rose, he spotted about the exactly same time she spotted him. A wide smile spread across her face, which the Doctor returned, he walked quickly towards her. Hermione following slowly. Rose laughed happy to see him again and she threw her arms around him tightly in a huge hug. She clung to him, grinning widely and buried her face in his shoulder. He released her but she still held him tightly.

The Doctor heard a quiet growl behind him and then Rose was suddenly stumbling backwards. She looked at the Doctor shocked but frowned when she realised that she didn't feel what had made her stumble back. Maybe she was still a little disorientated. The Doctor glanced back at Hermione and saw a glare on her face aimed at Rose before it disappeared when Rose turned to her.

"Hermione!" Rose said sweetly, too sweetly, before she hugged her, Hermione returned it.

When Rose released her Hermione just raised her eyebrow at the Doctor, who had noticed how fake the sweetness was. They all turned and made their way down the street. There were people out dancing and talking. Trestle tables lined the centre of the road covered in pastries, cakes, drinks, etc.

"We could go down the mall, join in with the crowd." Rose said.

"Nah, that's just pomp and circumstance." The Doctor said eating a victoria sponge "This is history right here."

"The domestic approach." Hermione teased.

"Exactly." They laughed.

"Will it...that thing...is it trapped for good, on video?" Rose asked.

"Hope so." the Doctor answered "Just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivalled knowledge of trans temporal extirpation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern."

"You what?" Rose asked.

"Is that fancy for tape over it?" Hermione asked.

"Yup." The Doctor grinned popping the 'P'.

Rose laughed "Just leave it to me, I'm always doing that."

"Tell you what Tommy," the Doctor said as the came upon the boy "you can have the scooter. Little present. Best...um...keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?" Behind them, Mr Connolly walked down the street with his suitcase as Rita embraced her mother.

Tommy looked over the Doctors shoulder "Good riddance."

"Is that it then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world, no room for a man like Eddie Connelly." The Doctor asked.

"That's right. He deserves it." Tommy nodded. Rose detected a hint of unconditional love for his father underneath his harsh words and she nudged his shoulder.

"Tommy, go after him." she said.

"What for?" he asked.

"He's your dad."

"He's an idiot."

"All dads are." Hermione said.

Rose nodded "Like I said, he's your dad. But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world so don't stop there. Go on!" She smiled, giving him another nudge.

Convinced, Tommy ran to join his dad. They walked side by side and Tommy took his dad's bag for him. They continued down the street together. Doctor, Hermione and Rose watched them fondly from a distance. The Doctor handed Hermione and Rose a glass of orange juice and they chinked their glasses together, smiling.

The Doctor went to take a bite of another victoria sponge, when Hermione beat him to it. "Oi!" he called and Hermione giggled before she took the whole sponge out of his hand and ran off "Give that back!" the Doctor laughed as he chased after her, both forgetting an irritated Rose in the street.

oOo

Hermione was sat on a love seat in the library back in the TARDIS reading up on different species of aliens so she could be better prepared for the future. The door opened and the Doctor walked in and handed her a plate of food and a glass of water.

"Thank you." She smiled and the Doctor sat down next to her and placed his arm on the back of the seat.

"I was so worried when they brought Rose in faceless and you weren't beside her." He told her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"I want to…I want to try and create a mental connection between us." He said and Hermione looked curiously at him "It will allow us to talk mentally anytime and anywhere. I can't sit somewhere and not know if your safe or not."

"Okay." Hermione nodded "It would allow me to always make sure you're safe, I don't particularly like it when you suddenly run of into a dangerous situation. How do we do it?"

"Well we already share some connection when we started the bond. So if you will allow me to, I will enter you mind and see if there is some way to connect our minds." Hermione nodded and dropped her Occlumency shields, both took a sudden breath when they felt each other's minds reaching out to each other "Maybe I don't have to." The Doctor mumbled. "What just happened?"

"I lowered my Occlumency shields, it's a form of magic that protects a witch or wizards mind." She told him.

"Did you have your shields up when we formed the bond?" he asked.

Hermione nodded "It was a form of protection in the war and I never took my shields down after it ended. You never know when someone could attack you there."

The Doctor nodded in understanding "We'll start practicing projecting our thoughts to each other and hopefully soon it will come natural."

Hermione smiled as she put the book she was reading down and then picked up one of her own and started reading it aloud to the Doctor. He smiled as he moved behind her and pulled her against him and sat back wrapping his arms around her tightly to listen about the wizarding world.


	8. Chapter 7: The Impossible Planet

**Chapter 7: The Impossible Planet**

The TARDIS materialised. She groaned and wheezed as if finding it difficult as the landing wasn't smooth. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose stepped outside the doors, looking up at the TARDIS.

"I dunno what's wrong with her, she's sort of...queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't wanna land." The Doctor said frowning.

Hermione placed her hand on the TARDIS and patted it _'Is this anything to worry about?'_ Hermione asked the Doctor through their newly connect mind link. It had only taken a few days for them both to manage to establish a strong link and Hermione loved it. Both had received a few weird looks from Rose when one of them would suddenly laugh but she didn't suspect a thing.

'_No, she should be fine.'_ He replied.

"Oh, if you think there's gonna be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else..." Rose said seriously before all three of them burst out laughing at the absurd notion.

The Doctor looked around "I think...we've landed inside a cupboard!" he went to the door "Here we go!" He pushed it open and they entered a walkway area.

"_Open Door 15."_ A computer said.

"Some sort of base...moon base, sea base, space base...they build these things out of kits." The Doctor said.

"Glad we're indoors, sounds like a storm out there..." Rose said.

The Doctor opened another door _"Open Door 16."_

Hermione and Rose followed him through the door into a corridor. "Human design, you've got a thing about kits." The Doctor said as they walked towards another door "This place was put together like a flat-pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier." They went through the other door and entered a canteen area.

"_Open Door 17."_

The Doctor strode into the middle of the room "Oh, it's a sanctuary base!"

"_Close Door 17."_

"Deep Space exploration. We've gone way out. And listen to that, underneath..." He pointed downwards, indicating for Hermione and Rose to listen, there was a hum of drills. "Someone's drilling."

Hermione looked up "Welcome to hell." She said.

"Oh, it's not that bad!" the Doctor told her.

Hermione just laughed and pointed to the wall "No, over there!" he looked over and saw the words 'WELCOME TO HELL' scrawled on the wall, with ancient symbols written underneath.

The Doctor stared "Hold on..." he went over to it "What does that say?" The Doctor peered closely at the ancient text Hermione doing the same, but it remained stubbornly incomprehensible. "That's weird. It won't translate."

"But I thought the TARDIS translated everything, writing as well." Rose said "We should see English."

"Exactly. If that's not working, then it means...this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old." He stated.

Hermione frowned as she looked at the writing "I've seen this somewhere before." She said.

"Where?" the Doctor asked as he stood.

"I'm not sure, maybe a book…" she gave him a pointed look _'And how many of them have I read?'_ she teased.

'_Point.'_ The Doctor nodded and went over to another door. "We should find out who's in charge." He said aloud and turned the wheel to open the door "We've gone beyond the reach of the TARDIS knowledge. Not a good move. And if someone's lucky enough..."

"Open Door 19."

The door opened, and the Doctor, Hermione and Rose gasped in shock, stumbling backwards a few steps, the Doctor wrapping an arm around Hermione. There were a small number of odd looking aliens on the other side of the door, blinking at them.

"Right!" the Doctor blinked trying to gain some composure "Hello! Sorry! Uh...I was just saying, uh...nice base!"

"We must feed." The aliens said together their white orbs lighting up.

"You're gonna what?" the Doctor asked.

"We must feed." They repeated.

"Yeah. I think they mean us." Rose said as they backed away from the aliens as they advance.

"We must feed." The Doctor, Hermione and Rose tried to make for the other door, but it opened and more of the aliens came through it. "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." another door opened and more came in slowly through it. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose were cornered. Hermione's wand slipped into her hand "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." The Doctor took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket as Rose armed herself with a chair. "We must feed. We must feed." The Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver and Hermione did the same with her wand as they continued to back away "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed."

"We must feed." One of the aliens suddenly shook and tapped its white orb and then held it before him "You. If you are hungry."

"Sorry?" the Doctor asked confused as he lowered his sonic screwdriver.

"We apologise." The alien apologised "Electromagnetics have interfered with our speech systems." Hermione lowered her wand as Rose put down the chair "Would you like some refreshment?"

"Uhm..." the Doctor said.

"No thank you." Hermione said politely with a smile.

"_Open Door 18."_

A door opened and man came through, flanked by two others holding guns. "What the hell...? How did...?" he said as he approached them, staring at them. He lifted his wrist and spoke into a communication device looking absolutely incredulous "Captain...you're not going to believe this. We've got people. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean three...living...people. Just standing here, right in front of me."

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose frowned not know what to make of this unusual reception.

"Don't be stupid, that's impossible." A man's voice replied over the comm.

The first man stared at them "I suggest telling them that." He replied.

"But you're a sort of space base, you must have visitors now and then." Rose said "It can't be that impossible."

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" the man asked roughly.

"No idea. More fun that way." The Doctor grinned.

"Stand by, everyone." A woman said over the comm. "Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake Point 5 on its way." The base started to quake and tremble.

The man rushed over to a door and opened it. "Through here!" he said urgently "Now. Quickly, come on!" Sirens sounded as the Doctor, Hermione and Rose ran to follow him through the door, with the two other security guards. "Now!" They ran into another corridor which was shaking, smoke rising from the floor. "Move it! Come on!" the man shouted over the noise "Come on, come on!" Hermione ducked her head as sparks flew everywhere. "Move it, come on! Quickly! Move it!"

They hurried down the corridor and found themselves in a control room, where the crew of the base were busy working. Three people looked up when they walk in. Their mouths dropped open as the Doctor beamed around at everyone.

"Oh, my God." A black man gasped "You meant it."

"People! Look at that! Real people!" a young woman commented.

"That's us. Hooray!" the Doctor continued to grin making Hermione shake her head.

She smiled at everyone. "Yeah, definitely real. My name's Hermione Granger, this is the Doctor and that's Rose."

A young Indian man strode over to them "Come on...the oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be...no. They're real!"

"Come on, we're in the middle of an alert!" the black man shouted impatiently "Danny, strap up, the quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds!" The seconds counted down on a computer screen. The black man turned to the Doctor, Hermione and Rose "Sorry, you three, whoever you are. Just...hold on. Tight."

"Hold on to what?" Rose asked.

"Anything. I don't care." He replied "Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?"

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose found some railings to hold on to, the Doctor wrapping and arm around Hermione.

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated." What they knew now as the Ood answered.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" the Doctor asked.

"Now, don't be stupid." Another woman said "It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "You really don't know, do you?"

"And...Impact!" the black man called.

The entire base shook violently. The crew, the Doctor, Hermione and Rose all clung on tight, but it's over pretty quickly. The Doctor stood bringing Hermione with him.

"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad...!" He and Hermione were thrown backwards as the base shook even more violently than it had before. The Doctor clung to the railing for dear life his arm wrapped tightly around Hermione. There was a small explosion from one of the consoles. Sparks flew around the room as they were all tossed about like rag-dolls. Finally, it stopped.

"Okay, that's it." The black man called as the first man hurried forward with a fire extinguisher. "Everyone all right? Speak to me, Ida?"

"Yeah, yeah!" the woman from before answered.

"Danny?"

"Fine." The Indian called.

"Toby?"

"Yeah, fine." A young man answered.

"Scooti?"

"No damage." The young woman replied.

"Jefferson?"

"Check!" the first man said.

"We're fine, thanks, fine, yeah, don't worry about us." The Doctor called as he stood and helped Hermione with him, Rose glaring at the pair as she picked herself up.

"The surface caved in." the black man said. The graphics on the computer screen indicated the part of the base that had been lost. "I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link."

"That's not my department…" Toby began.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" Toby grudgingly left the room.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity 56.6. We should be okay." Ida reported.

Rose looked around "Never mind the earthquake, that's...that's one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?" she asked.

"You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane." Scooti said "There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum."

"Then what's shaking the roof?" Hermione asked curious.

"You're not joking." Ida stated shocked "You really don't know? Well, introductions. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer." She then indicated the black man "Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir...you've met Mr Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartock. Ethics committee."

"Not as boring as it sounds." Danny said and the Doctor, Hermione and Rose grinned at him.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this..." she placed her hand on Scooti's shoulder "...is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance." Scooti smiled at them. Ida went over to a set of controls. "And this...this is home." She turned a lever and a whirring sound started.

"Brace yourselves." Zach said "The sight of it sends some people mad."

The room was then flooded with a red light as an overhead window opened, revealing a black hole right above them. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose stand, amazed, watching the light being sucked into it.

"That's a black hole." Rose stated.

"Impossible." Hermione whispered.

"I did warn you." Zach said.

"We're standing under a black hole." The Doctor said.

"We're in orbit." Ida told them.

"But we can't be..." Hermione said frowning.

"You can see for yourself. We're in orbit."

The Doctor turned to her "But we can't be."

"This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that black hole without falling in." Ida said.

"And that's bad, yeah?" Rose asked.

"That doesn't cover it..." the Doctor began.

"A black hole's a dead star, it collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too. Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity...time...everything just gets pulled inside...and crushed." Hermione stated earning an impressed look from the Doctor.

"So, they can't be in orbit." Rose tried to reason "We should be pulled right in."

"We should be dead." The Doctor corrected.

"And yet...here we are." Ida sighed "Beyond the laws of physics. Welcome on board."

"But if there's no atmosphere out there, what's that?" Rose asked pointing to clouds speeding rapidly towards the black hole outside the base.

"Stars breaking up...gas clouds..." Hermione said before Ida could.

Ida nodded "We have whole solar systems being ripped apart above our heads before falling into that thing."

"So, a bit worse than a storm, then." Rose said.

"Just a bit."

"Just a bit, yeah."

oOo

"_Close Door 1."_ The computer stated.

Hermione glanced over as Toby came back into the control room. She was now crowded with the Doctor and Rose around the control panel.

"The rocket link's fine." Toby reported as Zach tapped a button on the controls and a hologram of the black hole appeared before them.

The Doctor put his glasses on _'I love it when you wear those.'_ Hermione told him through their link.

The Doctor smiled smugly _'Only for you.'_

"That's the black hole officially designated K37 Gen 5." Zach pointed out.

"In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called Kroptor." Ida said. "The bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out. Because it was poison."

"The bitter pill. I like that." Rose said.

The Doctor stared at the hologram "We are so far out. Lost in the drifts of the universe, how did you even get here?!"

"We flew in. You see..." Zach pressed another button and the hologram changed to one of the planet with a gravity field emanating out from it like a tunnel. "This planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how, we've no idea, but...it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there." He gestured "As a funnel. A distinct...gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in."

"You flew down that thing?" Rose grinned "Like a rollercoaster."

"A dangerous one." Hermione mumbled.

Zach nodded at her "By rights, the ship should've been torn apart. We lost the Captain...which is what put me in charge..."

"You're doing a good job." Ida said consolingly.

"Yeah. Well, needs must."

"But if that gravity funnel closes," Danny said "there's no way out."

"We had fun speculating about that." Scooti said dryly.

"Oh, yeah. That's the word." Danny whacked Scooti on the head with a scroll "''Fun.'"

"But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power!" the Doctor said stumped "I mean...not just big, but off the scale! Can I...?" He gestured to the controls.

"Sure." Ida agreed "Help yourself." She pushed the calculator over to him and left him to it.

One of the Ood approached Hermione and Rose and gave them a cup.

"Your refreshment." The Ood said.

Hermione took it with a smile "Thank you."

Rose took hers "Oh yeah, thanks. Thank you. I'm sorry, what was your name?" she asked it.

"We have no titles." The Ood replied "We are as one." He left them and Rose approached Danny.

"Uhm, what are they called?" Hermione heard Rose asked Danny.

"Oh, come on. Where've you been living?" Danny scoffed "Everyone's got one!"

"Well, not me, so what are they?" Rose asked.

"They're the Ood."

"The 'Ood'?" Hermione asked as she approached.

Danny nodded "The Ood."

"Well that's...ood." Rose joked.

"Very ood!" Danny laughed "But handy. They work the mine shafts. All the drilling and stuff. Supervision, and maintenance! They're born for it. Basic slave race."

"You've got slaves?" Hermione asked shocked.

"Don't start, she's like one of that lot." Scooti said amused "Friends of the Ood."

"So what if I am?" Hermione snapped shocking Rose, Danny and Scooti at her anger and annoyance. "Since when do humans need slaves?"

"But the Ood offer themselves." Danny defended "If you don't give them orders, they just pine away and die."

Hermione had a thoughtful look, it was like the House Elves they need to work or they'd die, she had a deeper understanding when she had found an old and ancient book on them.

One of the Ood had approached and Rose eyed it "Seriously? You like being ordered about?" She asked.

"It is all we crave." It said.

"Why's that, then?" Hermione asked.

"We have nothing else in life." It told her.

Hermione looked at it sadly and swallowed thickly "Yeah, well I used to think like that. A long time ago." She glanced at the Doctor with a small smile.

"There we go." The Doctor called looking up from the calculator "D'you see? To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds."

"That's a lot of sixes." Hermione remarked.

"And it's impossible." The Doctor said.

"It took us two years to work that out!" Zach said shocked.

"He's very good." Hermione grinned.

"But...that's why we're here. This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it." Ida smiled.

"It's giving off readings of over ninety stats on the Blazen Scale." Zach added.

"We could revolutionize modern science." Ida said enthusiastically.

"We could use it to fuel the Empire." Jefferson told them.

The Doctor took off his glasses "Or start a war."

"It's buried beneath us." Toby muttered "In the darkness, waiting."

"What's your job?" Rose asked "Chief...dramatist?"

"Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomena." Toby glared "And this, er, planet once supported life. Eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk."

"I saw that lettering written on the wall. Did you do that?" the Doctor asked him.

Toby nodded "I copied it from fragments we found on earth by the drilling, but I can't translate it."

"No, neither can I." the Doctor remarked "And that's saying something."

"There was some form of civilisation. They buried something. Now it's reaching out. Calling us in."

"I might be able to help you translate it." Hermione told Toby "If you've got the research."

"That would be great." Toby said delighted.

The Doctor grinned at everyone "And you came."

"Well, how could we not?" Ida asked as Zach switched off the hologram.

The Doctor was still grinning at them all fondly "So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was there. Brilliant." He turned to Zach "Excuse me, ah, Zach, wasn't it?"

"That's me." Zach nodded.

"Just stand there, 'cos I'm gonna hug you. Is that all right?"

The crew looked at the Doctor like he was mad, which made Hermione snort.

"I s'pose so." Zach said after a moment.

The Doctor edged towards him "Here we go. Coming in." He threw his arms around Zach and clutched him, beaming. "Ahh, human beings, you are amazing!" Ida looked bemused. "Ha!"

Hermione chuckled "Don't suffocate him, Doctor."

The Doctor released Zach "Thank you." He said.

"Not at all." Zach said, trying to hide his smile.

"But apart from that, you're completely mad. You should pack your bags and get back in that ship and fly for your lives."

"You can talk!" Ida shot back with a laugh "And how the hell did you get here?"

"Oh, I've got this um...this...it's hard to explain, it just sort of...appears."

"We can show you," Rose said "we parked down the corridor from um...oh, what's it called? Uh, habitation area..."

"Three." The Doctor and Hermione said in unison.

"Three. Three." Rose nodded.

"Do you mean storage six?" Zach asked making Hermione freeze when she realised what Zach had said earlier.

"Uh, it was a bit of a cupboard, yeah." The Doctor said cheerfully as Zach glanced uncomfortably at Ida.

'_Theta, storage six collapsed.'_ Hermione told him.

He froze when he realised she was right _'What…?_' he looked to Zach "Storage six…you said storage five to eight."

Without another word, both he and Hermione turned and dashed from the room. They both sprung back down the corridor, Rose hot on their tails.

"What is it?" Rose shouted after them "What's wrong?"

The Doctor frantically opened Door 19 and they ran into the canteen area.

"_Open Door 19."_

They sprinted the length of the room.

"_Close Door 19."_

The Doctor spun the wheel to try and open the door back through the other corridor. "Stupid doors, come on!" He said furiously as Hermione helped him. It swung open.

They emerged into yet another corridor.

"_Open Door 17."_

They dashed down the corridor and open another door.

"_Open Door 15."_

The Doctor slammed himself against the next door, frantically pushing the button to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"_Door 16 out of commission."_

"Can't be, can't be!" the Doctor panted.

Rose caught up to them "What's wrong?!" she asked the Doctor "What is it?" The Doctor opened a small round window in the door and looked through it. Hermione looked over his shoulder "Doctor, the TARDIS is in there. What's happened?"

He stared out the window "The TARDIS is gone." He backed away from the window, absolutely horrified, breathing heavily.

"_Door 16 out of commission."_

"The earthquake. This section collapsed." a tear fell from Hermione's eye.

Rose stared at him puzzled "But it's gotta be out there somewhere." She peered out of the window to witness the rocky landscape of the planet outside.

"Look down." Hermione told her.

Rose looked down at the gaping chasm right beneath them. Hermione grabbed the Doctors hand and squeezed it _'We'll find her, Theta. We'll get her back.'_ he nodded and she kissed his cheek.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose walked back into the control room.

Doctor walked over to Zach quickly "The ground gave way." He said with urgency "My TARDIS must've fallen down right into the heart of the planet. But you've got robot drills heading the same way."

"We can't divert the drilling." Zach said walking off.

The Doctor stared at him and then followed "But I need my ship. It's all I've got. Literally the only thing besides Hermione."

Hermione quickly grabbed his hand tightly as Rose looked on hurt that he didn't consider her. She quickly turned her gaze to Hermione and glared, he would have said her name if Hermione wasn't there, if it was just the two of them like it had been before she showed up. She had to change that, but how?

"Doctor, we've only got the resources to drill one central shaft down to the power source, and that's it." Zach said irritated "No diversions, no distractions, no exceptions. Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that...is the end of it." He left them as Ida approached the Doctor, who looked completely helpless.

"I'll uh, put you on the duty roster. We need someone in the laundry." She followed Zach from the room.

"_Open Door 1. Close Door 1."_

Hermione stepped forward and pulled the Doctor into a tight hug and he wrapped his arms around her and buried his head into her shoulder. "I've trapped you here." He mumbled.

"No you haven't." she whispered "But if you had, there's no one I'd rather be trapped with than you."

He pulled back and beamed "And I you." His kissed her forehead.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose were sat by the ancient text in the canteen area, the Doctor and Hermione staring at it with brow furrowed. Hermione had a note book out and a couple of books that had some ancient languages in. She had translated some of the words but it was hard when most of what Toby had written was in the wrong order.

"Danny, check the temperature of Ood Habitation. It seems to be rising." Zach said over the comm. Rose got up annoyed that she wasn't able to help and walked over to the hatch through which the food is being served.

"It's all jumbled, maybe that's why it couldn't be translated by the TARDIS." Hermione mumbled.

"Maybe." The Doctor said.

"I mean that one is upside down." She pointed to the one near his head.

"Well he's an idiot."

Hermione chuckled before glancing around at Rose to see her attention on the Ood. Hermione turned quickly to the Doctor and pecked him. "Be nice." She mumbled with a smirk.

The lights in the canteen area flicked.

"Zach, have we got a problem?" Ida asked into the comm.

"No more than usual." Zach replied "Got the Scarlet System burning up, it might be worth a look."

Ida looked at the Doctor and Hermione as Rose came over to the two. "You might wanna see this. Moment in history." She pulled a lever which opened the overhead 'shutters', revealing the black hole overhead and flooding the room with the soft red light. Ida pointed "There. On the edge." A stream of red light was spiralling into the black hole. "That red cloud...that used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi...a mighty civilisation spanning a billion years...disappearing. Forever. Their planets and suns consumed." She's gazed up at it, fascinated, as were the Doctor, Hermione and Rose. The last of the Scarlet System disappeared into the black hole. "Ladies and gentlemen...we have witnessed its passing." She went to pull the lever to close the shutters again, but the Doctor stopped her.

"Er, no, could you leave it open?" Rose looked at him, as Hermione continued to stare at the black hole. "Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

'_It's because you already are.'_ Hermione teased looking at him with a smile.

'_Hush you.'_ He grinned.

"How would you know?" the Doctor smiled at her with a secret smile "Scooti, check the lockdown." Scooti nodded and left "Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me." Jefferson and Ida exited, leaving the Doctor, Hermione and Rose alone. They all sat down at a table, the Doctor and Hermione next to each other and Rose across from them. The Doctor and Hermione stared at the black hole.

"_Open Door 18."_

"I've seen films and things, yeah," Rose said wanting to impress the Doctor with some knowledge "they say black holes are like gateways to another universe."

"_Close Door 18."_

"Not that one." the Doctor replied not looking at her "It just eats."

Rose tensed her jaw before she sighed "Long way from home..." The Doctor glanced at her.

The Doctor pointed "Go that way, turn right, keep going for um...about five hundred years...then you'll reach the Earth."

Rose took her phone out of her pocket and pressed a few buttons "No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of range." She thought of her mum "Mind you, even if I could...what would I tell her...?" She looked at him "Can you build another TARDIS?" She laughed half-heartedly, knowing it was probably impossible.

"They were grown, not built." He sighed "And with my own planet gone...we're kind of stuck." He felt Hermione link her fingers with his and rub her thumb in circles on the back of his hand.

"Well, it could be worse." Rose said trying to lighten the mood "This lot said they'd give us a lift."

"And then what?" he asked.

"I dunno...find a planet...get a job...live a life, same as the rest of the universe." She answered.

"Pfft...I'd have to settle down. In a house or something, a proper house with...with...with... with doors and things. Carpets! Me! Living in a house!" Rose laughed and Hermione sent him a grin before looking back up "Now that...that is terrifying."

"You'd have to get a mortgage."

The Doctor stared horrified "...No."

"Oh yes."

"I am dying." He said he grinned "That's it. I am dying, it is all over."

"What about me?" she asked "I'd have to get one too." Rose paused and then glanced at Hermione to see her still watching the black hole. This gave her a chance to prove that the Doctor would choose her, that they were meant to be "I dunno, could...could be the same one, we could both..." The Doctor looked at her. "I dunno...share." his grin dropped and he looked at Hermione who had tensed. Rose felt like a bucket of ice water had just been poured over her "Or not, you know. Whatever." She mumbled.

'_We could get a house together.'_ Hermione said to him relaxing when he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

'_I'd like that.'_ He squeezed her hand.

"I dunno, we'll sort something out..." Rose trailed off.

"Anyway." The Doctor said wanting to get away from the uncomfortable conversation.

Rose laughed tensely, trying to shake it off "We'll see!"

They sat in silence for a few moments. "I promised Jackie I'd always take you back home." The Doctor said.

"Everyone leaves home in the end." Rose shrugged.

"Not to end up stuck here."

Hermione looked at him "Yeah, but stuck with you, that's not so bad." She smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Of course." They stared intently at each other.

The moment was broken by Rose's phone ringing and she answered thankful for the break between the pair.

"He is awake."

She flung the phone to the floor shocked.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose bounded down the stairs to see Danny in the Ood Habitation.

"Evening!" the Doctor greeted.

"Only us!" Hermione added.

"The mysterious trio." Danny said glancing from his computer.

'_Ooo, that's different from the Golden Trio. Don't know if I like it.'_ Hermione said to the Doctor who grinned.

'_We are mysterious, though.'_ He remarked.

"How are you, then? Settling in?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, sorry, straight to business, the Ood, how do they communicate?" the Doctor asked "I mean, with each other."

The Ood were sat in an area below them in what looked almost like an animal-pen. Hermione looked at them sadly as she looked at them from the balcony. She knew there was nothing she could really do for the Ood, this was the future and she had learnt the hard way from the House Elves.

Danny shrugged "Oh, just empaths. There's a low level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle."

"This telepathic field, can it pick up messages?" Hermione asked.

"'Cos I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something...well, odd." Rose added.

"Oh. An odd Ood." Danny mused.

"And then I got something else on my er..." she glanced at the Doctor "communicator thing."

"Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing." Danny waved off as the Doctor, Hermione and Rose stared at him, far from convinced. "Look...if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."

The Doctor nodded to the computer "Monitor the field, that's this thing?" he asked.

They looked to the screen that read 'Basic 5'.

"Yeah. But like I said, it's low level telepathy. They only register Basic 5."

While he had been speaking, the reading had risen to Basic 6. "Well, that's not Basic 5." Hermione commented.

It raised, again and again. "10..." Hermione turned to the Ood to watch them and the all raised their heads in unison as the reading ascended. "20..." the Doctor turned to Danny "They've gone up to Basic 30."

"But they can't..." he breathed.

"Doctor, the Ood..." Rose began.

The Ood turned, as one, and looked up at the four of them on the balcony.

"What does Basic 30 mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well, it means that they're shouting, screaming inside their heads." Danny replied baffled.

"Or something's shouting at them..." the Doctor said quietly.

Danny tapped on the keyboard "But...where's it coming from? What is it saying? I mean..." he looked to Rose "What did it say to you?"

"Something about the beast in the pit." She answered.

Danny blinked "What about your communicator? What did that say?"

"He is awake." Rose said after a moment.

"And you will worship him." the Ood said as one.

Danny spun to look at the Ood "What the hell?"

"He is awake." The Doctor addressed the Ood.

"And you will worship him." they said.

"Worship who?" there was no reply "Who's talking to you? Who is it?"

Hermione stepped forward and spoke in a foreign language _"For the night is dark…"_

"…_And full of terrors."_ They continued.

Hermione looked to the Doctor fearful, slowly working out what they might be facing, the wizarding world may not believe in God, but there was something else they did.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose were down in the 'pen' with the Ood, Danny still on the overhead balcony when they are thrown violently around and they struggle to regain their balance as the entire base shook.

"_Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach."_ The Computer reported.

"Which section?" Danny asked scared into the comm.

"Everyone...evacuate 11 to 13, we've got a breach!" Zach ordered "The base is open. Repeat: the base is open."

"We gotta go." Danny called to them as the three ran up the stairs to him. "Protocol states it."

They ran out of the Ood habitation and down the corridor.

"_Open Door 19."_

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose burst back into the canteen area, followed by Danny.

"_Close Door 19."_

"I can't contain the oxygen field, we're gonna lose it!" Zach called over the comm.

"Come on!" Jefferson yelled trying to open a door "Keep moving!" The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Danny came from one direction and Ida and other crew members from another. "And you too, Toby!" he pulled Toby through the door and he fell flat on his face through the door as Jefferson slammed it shut.

"_Breach sealed. Breach sealed."_ The computer stated.

The Doctor dashed over to them "Everyone all right?! What happened? What was it?" he asked.

"_Oxygen levels normal."_

"Hull breach!" Jefferson answered panting "We were open to the elements. A couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters."

Rose crouched to help Toby, who was still sweating and panting on the floor.

"That wasn't a quake." The Doctor commented.

"What caused it?" Hermione asked.

"We've lost sections 11 to 13." Zach reported over the comm. "Everyone all right?"

"We've got everyone here except Scooti." Jefferson answered "Scooti, report." There was static and a beep on the communication device. "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report." Again, only static and a beep were heard.

"She's all right." Jefferson and Ida breathed a sigh of relief. "I picked up her bio chip, she's in Habitation 3. Better go and check if she's not responding, she might be unconscious." Hermione silently watched with a curious frown as Toby looked over his hands "How about that, eh? We survived."

"Habitation 3...come on, I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on."

Everyone but Toby, the Doctor, Hermione and Rose followed Jefferson down the corridor.

The Doctor crouched down to Toby, who looked severely shaken. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't...I dunno, I...I was working and then I can't remember." Toby spoke very fast and flustered.

Hermione crouched down next to him "Shh, take deep breaths." She told him.

Toby did so before he continued "All...all that noise, the room was falling apart, there was no air..."

Rose helped Toby to his feet "Come on. Up you get. Come and have some Protein One." She had her arm linked through his and led him along the corridor.

"Oh, you've gone native." The Doctor teased.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein One with just a" she clicked her tongue "dash of Three."

oOo

The canteen was slightly chaotic when they entered. Everyone was looking for Scooti, all talking over each other.

"I've checked Habitation 4..." Ida said.

"There's no sign of her." Jefferson added "The bio chip says she's in the area." Rose and Toby came through the door followed by the Doctor and Hermione. "Have you seen Scooti?" he asked Toby.

"No, no, no, I don't think so." Toby replied.

"Scooti, please respond," Ida called into her comm. "if you can hear this please respo...Habitation 3."

"Nowhere here." Jefferson lifted his comm. "Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing."

"It says Habitation 3_."_ Zach replied.

"Yeah, well that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's not there."

The Doctor gazed upwards, through the overhead window and Hermione followed his gaze and gasped.

"I've found her." He told them.

They all looked upwards, following his gaze.

Rose's hand flew over her mouth "Oh, my God..."

Scooti's body was floating eerily just outside the window. "Sorry. I'm so sorry." He said as he pulled Hermione to him.

The rest of them just stare, horrified.

"Captain..." Jefferson called into his comm. "Report Officer Scooti Manista PKD...deceased. 43K2.1."

"She was twenty..." Ida breathed "twenty years old." She walked over to the controls and pulled the lever to close the shutters. The stared at her body as she drifted further away towards the black hole as they closed.

"For how should Man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father..." Jefferson trailed off.

"…And the temples of his Gods." Hermione finished for him. He nodded to her in thanks.

The shutters had finally closed completely, leaving the room noticeably darker and gloomier than before. A strange silence had also fallen.

"It's stopped..." Ida said. There was a distant crash.

"What was that?" Rose asked "What was it?"

"The drill." The Doctor replied.

"We've stopped drilling." Ida told them "We've made it. Point Zero."

oOo

"All non-essential Oods to be confined. The crew are preparing to go down the mineshaft." Zach's voice came over the loudspeakers, as the crew prepared to go down the mineshaft.

"Capsule established." Ida reported "All systems functioning...the mineshaft is go...bring systems online now."

The Doctor approached Zach, already garbed in an orange spacesuit. "Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force."

Zach stared at him "Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol." He shook his head "We don't even know who you are."

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you?" he grinned "And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on...look me in the eye...yes you do, I can see it. Trust."

"I should be going down…"

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here. In charge."

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach asked bitterly. The Doctor didn't answer, but simply looked at him. Zach sighed. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions!" he called to everyone. Hermione caught the Doctors eye and they walk over to each other. "Mr Jefferson! I want maximum systems..." His voice faded as he walked away.

The Doctor and Hermione stood together facing one another. The Doctor checked a device on the wrist of the spacesuit. "Oxygen...nitro-balance...gravity. Its ages since I wore one of these!"

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?" Hermione said worriedly.

"Yes, sir." He grinned.

Hermione looked round for Rose and saw her talking to Toby. Hermione turned back to the Doctor and pulled him into a deep passionate, but short kiss. They pulled away and the Doctor looked dazed at her. She smirked and put his helmet on him, making sure it was locked.

Rose came over to them, just missing the kiss the two shared "It's funny, 'cos people back home think that space travel's gonna be all whizzing about and teleports and anti-gravity...but it's not, is it?" Her voice broke slightly "It's tough."

"I'll see you both later." He said confidently.

"Not if I see you first." Rose laughed as she pulled his head down and placed a kiss on his helmet. When he turned Rose sent Hermione a smug look only to receive a raised eyebrow and a bored look which made Rose falter, not expecting that reaction.

"Capsule active." Zach called over the comm. "Counting down in 10...9...8...7...6..." The Doctor and Ida climbed into the capsule and Jefferson closed the door after them. "5...4...3...2..." Jefferson saluted them. "1..." Rose waved, smiling. The Doctor waves back, returning the smile and Hermione blew him a kiss from behind Rose.

'_Come back._' she whispered in his mind.

'_Always._' He replied.

"Release." Zach called. The capsule descended the shaft.

A diagram on a computer screen showed the descent of the capsule into the depths of the planet.

Hermione went to pick up the comm. but Rose reached it first "Don't forget to breathe. Breathing's good." She demonstrated taking deep breaths.

'_Everything okay?'_ Hermione asked.

'_Yep.'_ He replied.

"Rose, stay off the comm." Zach ordered Rose.

"Fat chance." She mumbled.

The diagram on the computer screen indicated the capsule has reached Point Zero, causing the whole base to shake.

As soon as Hermione had managed to steady herself, she grabbed the comm. "Doctor?" there was no reply "Doctor, are you all right?" she swallowed _'Theta?'_

"Ida, report to me..." Zach called through the comm. only to get silence "…Doctor?"

"It's all right...we've made it...coming out of the capsule now." The Doctor called. _'I'm okay.'_

Hermione sighed in relief "What's it like down there?" she asked.

"It's hard to tell...some sort of...cave...cavern...it's massive." He answered.

"Well, this should help. Gravity globe." Ida said "That's...that's...my God, that's beautiful." She breathed in awe.

'_Would you like to see?'_ Hermione heard the Doctor ask through their link.

'_Please._' Suddenly she saw what the Doctor was seeing. She smiled at the ancient architecture. The enormous cavern, there were statues around and a huge face etched into the rock _'Beautiful.'_

'_Not as beautiful as you.' _Hermione blushed.

"Hermione, Rose...you can tell Toby...we've found his civilisation..."

"Oi, Toby," Rose called cheerfully "sounds like you've got plenty of work."

"Good, good." Toby replied sound distracted "Good."

"Concentrate now, people." Zach voice came over the comm. "Keep on the mission. Ida...what about the power source?"

"We're close." She answered "Energy signature indicates north, north west. Are you getting pictures up there?"

"There's too much interference." Zach replied "We're in your hands."

"Well...we've come this far. There's no turning back." they heard Ida say.

"Oh, did you have to? No turning back? That's almost as bad as 'nothing can possible go wrong' or 'this is gonna be the best Christmas Walford's ever had'..." the Doctor rambled.

"Are you finished?"

"Yeah! Finished."

Hermione chuckled "Well done, Ida, you've managed to shut it up. That's quite a challenge." Ida laughed as the Doctor shouted offended.

"Captain, sir. There's something happening with the Ood." Danny's voice came over the comm.

"What are they doing?" Zach asked.

"They're staring at me. I've told them to stop, but they won't." his voice low and nervous.

"Danny, you're a big boy. I think you can take being stared at."

"But the telepathic field, sir. It's at Basic 100! I've checked, there isn't any fault. It's definitely 100."

"But that's impossible…" Zach breathed.

"What's Basic 100 mean?" Rose asked.

"If 30 means screaming, then they…they should be dead." Hermione said.

"Basic 100's brain death." Jefferson agreed.

"But they're safe? They're not actually moving?" Zach asked.

"No, sir."

"Keep watching them." Zach told him "And you, Jefferson, keep a guard on the Ood."

"Officer at arms!" Jefferson called as he readied his gun.

"Yes, sir." A crew member shouted.

"You can't fire a gun in here." Rose said concerned "What if they hit a wall?"

"I'm firing stock 15, only packs upon organics." He turned to a security guard "Keep watch. Guard them."

"Yes, sir." The guard answered.

"Is everything all right up there?" the Doctor called.

"Yeah, yeah." Rose answered quickly.

"It's fine." Zach replied.

"Great!" Danny said sarcastically.

'_Hermione._' The Doctor asked her.

'_It's just the Ood. Nothing to worry about.'_ she answered.

"We've found something. It looks like metal." The Doctor called aloud "Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be 'trapdoor'. Not a good word, 'trapdoor'. Never met a trapdoor I liked."

Hermione got the image of the trapdoor and she frowned at the text, trying to translate it.

"The edge is covered with those symbols." Ida told them.

"Do you think it opens?" Zach asked.

"That's what trapdoors tend to do." The Doctor replied.

"'Trapdoor' doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach." Ida said "About thirty feet in diameter."

"Any way of opening it?" Zach asked.

"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism."

"I suppose that's the writing, that'll tell us what to do." The Doctor thought "The letters that defy translation."

"Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?" Zach called.

Rose looked at him "Toby, they need to know, that lettering, does it make any sort of sense?"

Toby had his head in his arms, crouched in the corner "I know what it says." Toby said quietly.

"Then tell them."

'_Hermione? Translation?'_ the Doctor asked.

'_Not yet.'_ She replied, still going over the writing around the trapdoor.

"When did you work that out?" Jefferson frowned.

"It doesn't matter, just tell them." Rose said.

Toby stood and he turned towards them, revealing his face covered in the symbols, eyes red. When Toby spoke, it wasn't with his own voice. "These are the words of the Beast." His voice was deep. Hermione and Rose stared at him in shock. "And he has woken." Jefferson pointed his gun at Toby. "He is the heart that beats in the darkness, he is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise."

"Officer, stand down." Jefferson ordered "Stand down."

"What is it? What's he done?" the Doctor asked with urgency "What's happening? Hermione? Rose? What's going on?" Everything went static. _'Hermione?'_

'_Toby is possessed by something.' _She answered_ 'He has symbols all over his face and his eyes are red.'_

Toby flexed his arms.

"Officer, as commander of security, I order you to stand down and be confined." Jefferson ordered "Immediately!"

"He's come out in those symbols all over his face. They're all over him." Rose said into the comm.

Toby considered them "Mr Jefferson, tell me, sir...did your wife ever forgive you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Jefferson answered, although it was clear he did.

"Let me tell you a secret," he smirked "she never did."

Jefferson swallowed "Officer...you stand down and be confined."

"Or what?"

"Or under the jurisdiction of Condition Red, I am authorised to shoot you." He aimed his gun at Toby.

"But how many can you kill?" His eyes lit up and his mouth opened in a low roar as the symbols evaporated off Toby's skin and left him as swirls of black smoke. This smoke then entered the Ood, who jerk as the Beast possessed them. Toby, himself again, coughed and collapsed. Jefferson pointed his gun at the three Ood on the exploration deck.

"The Legion shall be many. And the Legion shall be few..." the Ood said in unison.

'_Theta, there's something wrong with the Ood...they're possessed'_ Hermione said fearfully to the Doctor.

'_We're coming back now!'_ he replied.

"It's the Ood." Rose said into the comm.

"Sir, we have a contamination in the livestock." Jefferson said into his comm.

"Doctor, I don't know what it is, it's...it's like they're possessed." Rose said into the comm. only to get static.

"They won't listen to us." Jefferson said as the Ood forced them back.

"He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time." The Ood continued "Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan...Or Lucifer..."

"We need to get out of here." Hermione said to Jefferson, who nodded.

Or the Bringer of Despair…The Deathless Prince. The Bringer of Night…These are the words that shall set him free." The Ood said as the continued to approach Hermione, Rose, Jefferson and another crew member making them back away.

"Back up to the door!" Jefferson shouted over his shoulder.

"I shall become manifest." The Ood recited.

"Move quickly!"

"I shall walk in might…"

"To the door!" Jefferson ushered as they backed up against it. "Get it open!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds..." The Ood continued to advance towards Hermione, Rose and Jefferson. "I am the sin and the temptation. And the desire. I am the pain and the loss and the dead will come."

"Get that door open!" Jefferson called as Hermione, Rose and the other crew member desperately tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. Jefferson had his gun aimed at the advancing Ood, but they ignored it completely.

"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more."

"_Door sealed."_

"Come on!" Rose groaned pushing against the door.

"_Door sealed."_

"The pit is open! And I am free!"


	9. Chapter 8: The Satan's Pit

**Chapter 8: The Satan Pit**

The Ood continued to advance towards Hermione, Rose, Jefferson and the other crew member.

"Open fire!" Jefferson ordered and he and the guard fired at the Ood, whilst Rose cowered against the door and Hermione held her wand towards the Ood.

Rose stepped over to the dead bodies of the Ood and grabbed the communication device once more, impatient to see if the Doctor was okay as Hermione looked at the Ood sadly and checked to see if Jefferson and the crew member were okay.

"Doctor?" Rose called into the comm. only to get Static and no reply. "Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor? Ida? Are you there?"

'_Theta?'_ Hermione called to him through their link worried.

"_Open Door 25."_ The Computer stated.

Jefferson and the guard spun round, guns raised and ready for whatever was coming through the door, but it was only Danny.

"It's me!" he called holding his hands up "But they're coming." He closed the door.

"_Close Door 25."_

"It's the Ood. They've gone mad."

"How many of them?" Jefferson asked.

"All of them! All fifty!"

Jefferson approached the door "Danny, out of the way." Danny didn't move. "Out of the way!" He pushed Danny out of the way of the door.

"But they're armed!" Danny warned "They're da..." Jefferson started to open the door. "It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon."

"_Open door 25."_

Jefferson opened the door and found the Ood were stood on the other side. One of them immediately advanced, sticking the communication orb to the guard's forehead. She screamed and slumped to the floor, dead. Jefferson opened fire.

"Jefferson, what's happening, there?" Zach called through the comm. that was no back online.

"I've got very little ammunition, sir." He replied "How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun. With uh...all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is."

"Given the emergency..." Jefferson paused "I recommend Strategy Nine."

"Strategy Nine agreed." Zach sighed defeated "Right, we need to get everyone together. Rose? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?"

'_Theta?'_ Hermione tried again.

'_We're okay.'_ She heard echoed back and she slumped in relief.

Rose shook her head in worry "I can't get any reply, just..." her voice shook "nothing, I keep trying, but it's..."

Just then, the comm. crackled and the Doctor's voice came through. "No! Sorry, I'm fine. Still here!"

"You could've said," She said relieved "you stupid b..." The comm. screeched loudly.

"Whoa! Careful!" the Doctor cut in "Anyway, it's both of us, me and Ida. Hello! But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm."

A new image of the trapdoor entered Hermione's mind and she saw a gaping pitch black hole. _'Please be careful.'_ She whispered to him.

'_Always.'_ He replied.

"How deep is it?" Zach asked.

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes on forever."

"'The pit is open.'" Hermione said taking the comm. from Rose earing a glare "That's what the voice said."

"But there's nothing?" Zach asked "I mean...There's...nothing coming out?

"No, no. No sign of 'the Beast'." The Doctor replied.

"It said 'Satan'." Rose said scared.

"Come on, Rose. Keep it together."

"Is there no such thing?" there was no reply "Doctor?" The Doctor, still didn't answer "Doctor, tell me there's no such thing."

"There is." Hermione mumbled making everyone look at her to see fear in her eyes "It's the one thing my people truly believe in. The Devil."

Rose went to retort when she was cut off by Zach coming over the comm. "Ida? I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately." He ordered.

"But...we've come all this way!" Ida exclaimed.

"Okay, that was an order. With-Draw. With that thing open, the whole planets shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole." He told her "So this thing stops right now."

"But it's not much better up there with the Ood."

"I'm initiating Strategy Nine, so I need the two of you back up top immediately, no ar..." the comm. turned off and all that they heard was static "Ida? IDA?"

'_Theta?'_ Hermione called.

'_Have you ever been standing on the edge of a precipice and a voice in your head echoes 'jump'?'_ he asked her.

'_Yes.'_ She replied _'But this voice is echoing 'don't' and 'come back'. Please Theta.'_

'_Alright.'_

"Hermione, Rose, we're coming back." the Doctor called.

Rose smiled pleased "Best news I've heard all day!" Jefferson releasing the safety catch on his gun caught Hermione and Rose's attention as he looked down at Toby. "What're you doing?"

Jefferson aimed his gun at Toby "He's infected. He brought that thing on board. You saw it." Toby's eyes widened in shock as he cowered in a corner on the floor.

"He didn't bring it." Hermione commented as she looked at Toby wearily "It was already here."

Rose approached Jefferson "Are you gonna start shooting your own people, now?" she asked "Is that what you're gonna do? Is it?"

"If necessary." He nodded.

"Well then, you'll have to shoot me 'if necessary'." she crossed her arms "So what's it gonna be?"

Rose kneeled next to Toby "Look at his face. Whatever it was, it's gone. It passed into the Ood." She pointed to the dead Ood "You saw it happen."

"Just because you saw it leave him, doesn't mean it left him completely." Hermione told Rose.

Rose glared at her "He's clean." She stated ignoring Hermione's comment about it still being in Toby.

"If you say so." Hermione shrugged.

"Any sign of trouble..." Jefferson said agreeing with Hermione "I'll shoot him." He moved away.

Rose turned to Toby "Are you all right?"

Hermione just shook her head and headed over to the mineshaft to wait for the Doctor. Unless she saw definite proof that Toby was completely clean she was staying as far away as she could from him.

oOo

"Okay, we're in. Bring us up." They heard Ida call through the comm. several minutes later.

"Ascension in..." Jefferson began. Hermione and Rose smiled with anticipation. "Three...two...one."

The mechanism failed and the lights went out.

"This is the Darkness." A deep animalistic voice said "This is my domain." The display on the screen changed to show several of the Ood stood together, the Beast using them to communicate. "You little things that live in the light...clinging to your feeble Suns...which die in the..."

"That's not the Ood." Zach warned them over the loudspeakers "Something's talking through them."

"Only the Darkness remains." The voice continued.

"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six representing the Torchwood archive." Hermione perked up at the name Torchwood "You will identify yourself."

"You know my name." it replied.

"What do you want?" Zach asked it.

"You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave."

"It's him." Toby trembled "It's him. It's him..."

"If you are the Beast, then answer me this: which one?" the Doctor asked through his comm. "Hmm? 'Cos the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions than there are planets in the sky. The Archivist...Pordonity, Christianity...Pash-Pash, New Judaism...Sanclar...Church of the Tin Vagabond, which devil are you?"

"All of them."

"What, then you're the truth behind the myth?"

"This one knows me, as I know him. The killer of his own kind."

"How did you end up on this rock?" the Doctor asked choosing to ignore the comment.

"The disciples of the Light rose up against him." Hermione stated remembering now where she had seen the ancient writing and what she learnt, she had read it from a book in the restricted section "And chained him in the pit for all eternity." Everyone stared at her shocked.

"You know my story well…Brightest Witch of Her Age." The Beast said.

"When was this?" the Doctor asked taking the attention from Hermione.

"Before time." It answered.

"What does that mean?!"

"Before time."

"What does 'before time' mean?"

"Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this universe was created."

"That's impossible. No life could have existed back then."

"Is that your religion?" the Beast asked him.

"It's a belief."

'_It's the truth.'_ Hermione echoed in the Doctors mind.

'_It can't be.'_

"You know nothing." The Beast growled "All of you. So small. The Captain, so scared of command. The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife. The scientist, still running from daddy. The little boy who lied. The virgin. The magic weaver, still needing to fight for the world she fought for. And the lost girl, so far away from home. The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon."

Everyone shifted uncomfortable.

"Doctor, what does it mean?" Rose asked swallowing hard.

"Rose, don't listen." The Doctor told her.

"What does it mean?"

"You will die..." the Beast sounded like it was laughing "and I will live." The footage of the Ood suddenly cut off and was replaced with a roaring horned beast, which causes everyone to gasp and stumble backwards.

"What the hell was that?" Danny asked shaking in fear.

They all started speaking over one another, Hermione watched silently as they all got more frantic.

"I had that thing inside my head." Toby shouted.

"Doctor, what did it mean?" Rose asked her voice rising higher.

"What do we do?" Danny asked "Jefferson?"

"Captain?" Jefferson asked into his comm. "What's the situation on Strategy Nine?"

"Zach, what do we do?" Danny called.

"Stop…" Hermione called but nobody listened.

"What if I can fix it?" Toby shook his head "...the black hole, everything's true."

"Captain, report." Jefferson called.

"We've lost pictures..." Zach answered.

"Doctor, how did it know all of..." Rose began

"Did anyone get..." Ida shouted.

"Jefferson?" Zach called.

"Stop..." the Doctor called.

"What did it mean?" Rose asked.

"Everyone just stop..." Hermione called.

"What do we do?" Danny asked.

"Report." Jefferson repeated.

'_Theta we need to calm them._' Hermione told him.

'_Cover your ears._' He replied.

Hermione just raised her wand and fire red sparks from it as a loud screech came from the comm. and silence fell.

"If you want voices in the dark," the Doctor called "then listen to mine; that thing is playing on very basic fears. Darkness, childhood nightmares, all that stuff."

"But that's how the devil works." Danny said.

"Or a good psychologist." Hermione commented.

"But...how did it know about my father?" Ida asked with a small tremor in her voice.

"Okay, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine?" the Doctor asked after a small pause "Hmm? Cos I'll tell you what I can see: humans. Brilliant humans. Humans who travel all the way across space. Flying in a tiny little rocket into the orbit of a black hole! Just for the sake of discovery, that's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing. All of you. The captain, his officer, his elder, his genius, his friends. All with one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him..." he trailed of when there was a loud bang and the cable for the capsule snapped and fell down the shaft.

"The cables snapped!" Ida shouted.

"Get out!" the Doctor yelled.

'_Theta…?'_

'_Witch…'_ the voice of the Beast echoed in her mind.

Hermione slammed her shield up as fast as she could and made sure they were stronger than usual. She swallowed when she realised that she'd be locking the Doctor out, but she couldn't have that voice in her head.

Dust wafted onto the exploration deck Hermione rushed and grabbed the comm. before Rose could "Doctor!" she called into the comm. "We lost the cable! Doctor, are you all right? Doctor?" there was no reply.

"Comms. are down." Zach called.

"Doctor?" Rose called snatching the comm. from Hermione as she ran to the mineshaft "Doctor, can you hear me?"

"I've still got life signs, but...we've lost the capsule."

"Say something, are you there?"

"There's no way out." Zach said "They're stuck down there."

Rose ran to the mineshaft and stood next to Hermione and looked down it. Jefferson and Danny doing the same "But we've got to bring them back." she demanded.

"They're ten miles down." Jefferson told her as Hermione stared blankly down the shaft, worried that even though there were life signs, there might not be for long "We haven't got another ten miles of cable." loud bang on a door made them jump. "Captain?" he called into his comm. "Situation report."

"It's the Ood." Zach sighed "They're cutting through the door bolts. They're breaking in."

"Yeah, it's the same on Door 25."

"How long's it gonna take?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's only a basic frame, it should take ten minutes." There was another bang "Eight."

"I've got a security frame, it might last a bit longer," Zach called "but that doesn't help you."

"Right." Rose nodded "So we need to stop them, or get out, or both."

"I'll take both, yeah?" Danny said sarcastically "But how?"

Rose glanced to Hermione to see her glancing down the mineshaft with tears running down her cheeks. Rose smirked this was her chance to prove to the Doctor that she was better and make him proud and impressed. She will take charge and save everyone like he does. Maybe she also had a chance to get rid of Hermione a different way, the Doctor would never know the truth behind it. She looked to Danny and Jefferson "You heard the Doctor. Why do you think that thing cut him off? 'Cos he was making sense." She told them "He was telling you to think your way out of this. Come on! For a start, we need some lights. There's gotta be some sort of power somewhere."

"There's nothing I can do." Zach said bitterly "Some captain, stuck in here, pressing buttons."

"That's what the Doctor meant: press the right buttons."

"They've gutted the generators! But the rocket's got an independent supply. If I could reroute that...Mr Jefferson?" Zach called "Open the bypass conduits. Override the safety..."

Jefferson pressed the appropriate buttons "Opening bypass conduits, sir."

"Channelling rocket feed. In 3...2...1...power."

The lights came back on making Rose clap "There we go." She smiled.

"Let there be light!" Danny smiled.

"What about that Strategy Nine thing?" Rose asked.

"Not enough power." Jefferson stated "It needs a hundred percent."

"All right, we need a way out. Zach, Mr Jefferson, you start working on that." Rose approached Toby "Toby, what about you?"

Toby stood "I'm not a soldier. I can't do anything."

"No, you're the archaeologist. What do you know about the pit?" she asked.

"Well, n…n…nothing. We can't even translate the language."

Rose turned away "Right."

"H…Hold on…Maybe…" he began.

"What is it?"

"Since that thing was inside my head, it's like the letters made more sense."

"Well... get to work." She told him "Anything you can translate, just...anything." she then approached Danny "As for you, Danny-boy, you're in charge of the Ood, any way of stopping them?"

"Well...I don't know." Danny replied.

She pulled him over to the computer "Then find out. The sooner we get control of the base, the sooner we can get the Doctor out. Shift." She smacks him playfully and then looked down the never ending shaft. She then turned he gaze to Hermione and approached her. "Wait until the Doctor sees you…you're a disappointment…useless and pathetic." She smirked "Like I said, why would he like someone like you? You're unworthy of a man like him, unworthy and pathetic." She turned to walk away "Freak." She threw over her shoulder before she left Hermione alone.

oOo

"_Unworthy…Pathetic…Freak"_

Those words flashed through Hermione's head as she took in what Rose had said.

"_Disappointment…"_

She stared blankly down the mineshaft, what if he was dead and didn't return. She couldn't live her life without him and they hadn't even completed the bond. The words flashed in the front of her mind again as she thought about what the Doctor would think seeing her just stood there doing nothing, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves.

Hermione shook her head, why was she listening to Rose's insults. She knew she was none of those words, she fought in a war and helped defeat a man that wanted to wipe out the muggle community and kill her. She had been in worse situations than this and she came out on top. She had taken down men and women half, triple her age. She was the Brightest Witch of her Age. She kept Harry and Ron alive for over seven years.

She looked around and saw everyone working, Danny at a computer on one side, Toby by himself and Jefferson was at another computer with Rose watching over his shoulder. She took a deep breath and shot one last look down the mineshaft before she turned from it.

"Mr Jefferson, power report." Hermione called startling Rose who looked over at her shocked, before she became annoyed.

"Open junctions five...six...seven..." Jefferson reported before there was a bang on the door "...reroute filters sixteen to twenty-four. Go."

"There's all sorts of viruses that could stop the Ood." Danny called "Trouble is, we haven't got them on board."

"Well, that's handy, listing all the things we haven't got." Rose said sarcastically "We haven't got a swimming pool either. Or a Tesco's."

"How about a computer virus that affects them telepathically." Hermione asked moving over to Danny to look at the computer, ignoring Rose's sarcastic comment.

Danny typed in Hermione's suggestion. The computer bleeped and the word 'affirmative' flashed on the screen. "Oh my God. It says yes!" he said excitedly "I can do it! Hypothetically, if you flip the monitor, broadcast a flare...it can disrupt the telepathy! Brainstorm!"

"And that will spark them out?" Hermione asked, before Rose could even open her mouth. Rose huffed and crossed her arms, not noticing the proud smirk on Jefferson's face. He had heard what Rose had said to Hermione and he hadn't liked it one bit. He knew a solider when he saw one and he could see the horrors she had faced, the pain she suffered in her eyes. There were years of horror and pain in them that told him she was young, so young when she fought.

"Yeah." Danny nodded.

"There we are, then! Do it!" Hermione said enthusiastically.

Danny's face fell "No, but..." he shook his head "I'd have to transmit from the central monitor. We need to go to Ood Habitation." There was another bang on the door, causing sparks to fly.

"That's what we'll do, then." Hermione patted him on the shoulder before she walked over to Jefferson "Mr Jefferson, sir! Any way out?" she asked him.

"Just about...there's a network of maintenance tunnels running underneath the base." He replied "We should be able to gain access from here."

"Ventilation shafts." Rose smiled wanting the attention back on her, she was supposed to be in control to prove she could do anything the Doctor could.

"Yeah, I appreciate the reference, but there's no ventilation." He told her dryly "No air, in fact, at all. They were designed for machines, not life forms." There was another bang.

"But, I can manipulate the oxygen field from here." Zach called through the comm. "Create discrete pockets of atmosphere...if I control it manually...I can follow you through the network."

Hermione nodded "Right, so we go down, and you make the air follow us. By hand." She told them.

"You wanted me pressing buttons."

"Yeah, okay, we need to get to Ood Habitation, work out a route."

oOo

There was once again another violent bang on the door. Hermione, Rose, Jefferson and Toby were ready to enter the maintenance tunnels, but Danny was still at the computer.

"Danny!" Hermione shouted.

"Hold on!" he shouted back "Just conforming..."

"Dan, you gotta go now!" Jefferson shouted as another bang was heard "Come on!"

The computer bleeped "Yeah!" He took an orange computer chip from the machine and shows them as he hurried over to the entrance to the maintenance tunnels. "Put that in the monitor...and it's a bad time to be an Ood!"

"We're coming back." Rose stated "Have you got that? We're coming back to this room and we're getting the Doctor out."

"Okay," Jefferson called "Danny, you go first, then you Miss Tyler, Miss Granger, then Toby, I'll go last in defence of position. Now come on! Quick as you can!"

They all lowered themselves down into the tunnels in the order Jefferson specified, Hermione a bit wearily that she had Toby behind her, Hermione sniffed as she landed in the tunnel.

"God, it stinks." Rose said voicing Hermione's thoughts "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm laughing." Danny rolled his eyes as Toby landed beside them. "Which way do we go?" he asked through the comm. to Zach.

"Just go straight ahead." He replied "Keep going 'til I say so."

Danny, Rose, Hermione, Toby and Jefferson crawled down the tunnel.

"Not your best angle, Danny." Rose commented staring at Danny's bum.

"Oi! Stop it!" he cried.

Toby considered her and Hermione's bum "I dunno, it could be worse." He smirked.

"Oi!" Rose cried indignantly.

Hermione rolled her eyes "I feel sorry for Mr Jefferson staring at yours."

"Yeah not a great sight." Jefferson called.

"Straight along until you find junction 7.1." Zach interrupted "Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you."

They reach a junction in the tunnels and sat down, out of breath.

"We're at 7.1, sir." Danny said into his comm.

"Okay, I've got you...I'm just aerating the next section."

"Getting kinda cramped, sir...can't you hurry up?"

"I'm working on half power, here."

"Stop complaining." Jefferson ordered.

"Mr Jefferson says: stop complaining." Rose said to Danny.

"I heard." He replied.

"He heard." Rose called to Jefferson.

Toby spoke into his comm. "But the air's getting a bit thin."

"He's complaining now."

"I heard." Jefferson called.

Danny wiped the sweat of his face as Rose sniffed her face screwed up in disgust. "Danny, is that you?" she asked.

"I'm not exactly happy." Danny said defensively.

"I'm just moving the air..." Zach told them "I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now, keep calm...or it's gonna feel worse."

There was a loud banging from the other end of the tunnel causing Jefferson to aim his gun.

"What was that?" Danny asked.

"Mr Jefferson, what was that?" Rose asked loudly.

"What's that noise?" Toby turned fearfully.

"Captain...what was that?" Jefferson called into the comm.

"The junction in Habitation Five's been opened," Zach reported "it must be the Ood. They're in the tunnels!" he warned.

"Well, open the gate!" Danny cried.

"I've gotta get the air in!"

"Just open it!" he paused before he added "...sir."

"Where are they?" Hermione asked "Are they close?"

"Don't know," Zach replied "I can't tell…I can't see them...the computer doesn't register Ood as proper life forms."

"Whose idea was that?" Hermione gritted her teeth at that but this wasn't the moment to get into a debate about slavery.

"Open the gate!" Danny shouted into the comm. The gate opened and they lunged through it.

"Danny, turn left. Immediate left." Zach instructed.

They crawled down the tunnel as fast as they could, Jefferson going backwards with his gun at the ready. "The Ood, sir, can't you trap them?" Jefferson asked "Cut off the air?"

"Not without cutting off yours." Zach replied "Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan, they're gonna catch up!"

Danny rushed forward franticly.

"I'll maintain defence of position!" Jefferson called.

Hermione turned "You can't stop!"

Jefferson sat and aimed gun "Miss Granger, that's my job. You've got your task, now see to it."

"You heard what he said, now shift." Toby said to her, Hermione just shifted to the side and let him pass her as Danny and Rose moved on.

"Miss Granger, leave." Jefferson sighed.

"You remind me of my dad." She told him as she thought of her dad, she shook her head "You can defend us from the next door." She told him as she fired a spell down the tunnel that she hoped would slow down the Ood "That will slow them down." She told him with a smile before they both caught up with Danny, Rose and Toby.

"8.2. Open 8.2. Zach!" Danny called into the comm.

"I've gotta aerate it!" Zach replied.

"Open it now!" Danny said furiously.

"I'm trying."

Danny thumped on the gate, desperate.

Rose stopped him "Danny, stop it. That's not helping."

"Zach, get it open!" Toby called.

Gate 8.2 opened, allowing Danny, Rose, Toby, Hermione and Jefferson through it.

"Come on!" Danny called. Jefferson fired some rounds before Hermione fired a spell down the tunnel.

"Danny, turn left and head for 9.2." Zach instructed "That's the last one."

"Zach...we're at the final junction. 9.2."

"Opening 9.2."

The gate opened to reveal the Ood were right behind it, waiting for them, they all scrambled away, shocked.

"Lower 9.2. Zach, lower it!" Rose called.

"Back! Back! Back!" Danny shouted.

"We can't go back! The gang point's sealed off, we're stuck!" Toby said.

Rose looked up and noticed the grilling above her head "Come on!" she said as pushed it out of the way. She emerged through the floor of the corridor above. Danny and Hermione followed her. "Come on! Toby, come on!" Rose called down to him.

"Move Toby!" Jefferson ordered.

"Toby, get out of there!" Rose shouted.

Toby scrambled up "Help me! Oh, my God, help me!" he called. Rose and Danny hoisted him up through the hole as Hermione quickly helped Jefferson through.

More Ood approached from one end of the corridor and Jefferson fired more rounds at them as Hermione closed the grilling and stuck it down with a sticking charm.

"It's this way." Danny said as everyone ran for the door in the opposite direction.

Danny, Rose, Toby and Jefferson ran through it. As Hermione was about to pass through the doorway she was shoved roughly backwards. She tripped over some uneven grilling and landed on her back. She glanced up and saw a smirking Rose before she slammed to door closed. Hermione scrambled up and tried to open the door, not knowing Rose had smashed the locking mechanism to keep it locked.

"Rose!" she shouted but there was no reply. Was Rose really that desperate to get rid of her that she would result to leaving her to die?

Hermione turned when she heard the grilling bang open and saw the Ood climbing out. Hermione quickly racked her brain for a plan. An image of the TARDIS console room flashed through her mind.

She could apparate there but she didn't know if that would work away from Earth, it was why she hadn't tried it when the TARDIS had been lost to them. She looked to the Ood to see them slowly approaching, she'd rather get splinched than die by Ood.

She took a deep breath before she pictured the console room before she turned on the spot with a loud 'Crack!' she appeared in the TARDIS. She sighs in relief that she was in one piece and she ran to the console.

"Hey girl, where are we?" she asked. A picture appeared on the computer of a dark cave, she frowned "That doesn't really help, are we close to where the Doctor is?" she felt a warm hum in her mind like it was a affirmative and she beamed before she ran to the doors. She paused and slowly opened the door to peer out and take a deep breath. When she worked there was oxygen outside she stepped out and went in search of the Doctor and Ida.

oOo

The Doctor was being lowered down the pit, in complete darkness. This had been his only option to get back to his soulmate, he had been worried when she suddenly cut of their mind link. He didn't know if she was safe or even alive and that terrified him. His life would never be the same if she wasn't in it, he would just drift alone for all eternity without her by his side.

"You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe." The Doctor told Ida to keep his mind from his worry "In the myths and legends of a million worlds. Earth...Draconia, Velconsadine...Daemos...the Kaled God of War...it's the same image, over and over again. Maybe...that idea came from somewhere. Bleeding through...the thought at the back of every sentient mind."

"Emanating from here?" Ida asked.

"Could be."

"But if this is the original...does that make it real?" she asked "Does that make it the actual devil, though?"

"Well, if that's what you want to believe. Maybe that's what the devil is, in the end. An idea." The cable ran out and the Doctor jerked to a halt.

"That's it. That's all we've got." Ida reported. The Doctor pressed the buttons on the device on his wrist. "You getting any sort of readout?"

"Nothing." He replied "Could be miles to go, yet. Or...could be thirty feet. No way of telling." He thought about this "I could survive thirty feet." He mumbled, if it was farther then he'd regenerate.

"Oh no you don't." Ida scolded "I'm pulling you back up." The cable started to hoisted him up, but he was quick to press his own button and stop it "What're you doing?!" she exclaimed.

"You bring me back, then we're just gonna sit there and run out of air." He reasoned "I've gotta go down."

"But you can't." Ida said sounding scared "Doctor, you can't."

"Call it an act of faith." He released one of the hooks securing him to the cable.

"But...I don't want to die on my own." She whispered.

"I know." He released another hook and then another "I didn't ask: have you got any sort of faith, or...?"

"Not really." She replied "I was brought up Neo Classic, congregational...because of my mum, she was..." she paused "My old mum. But no, I never believed."

"Neo Classic, have they got a devil?"

"No, not as such. Just um...the things that men do."

"Same thing in the end."

"What about you?" Ida asked him.

The Doctor paused for a long moment, thinking "I believe...I believe I haven't seen everything, I don't know...it's funny, isn't it? The things you make up, the rules. If that thing had said it came from beyond the universe, I'd believe it, but before the universe...impossible. Doesn't fit my rule. Still, that's why I keep travelling. To be proved wrong. Thank you, Ida."

"Don't go!" she called.

"If they get back in touch...if you talk to Hermione...just tell her..." He paused for a moment, looking down, swallowing hard. "Tell her I..." he paused again "Oh, she knows." He released the final hook and fell into nothingness, just as Rose came through the comm.

oOo

"Theta…Theta…" The Doctor slowly woke up with a groan "Theta!" he felt someone shaking his shoulder. He sat up and his eyes widened when he saw Hermione.

"Hermione?" he then noticed his helmet was shattered and that Hermione didn't have anything on to give her oxygen. He gasped and one of his hands flew to Hermione's mouth and the other to his.

Hermione pulled his hand away "It's alright." She told him.

"I'm breathing?" he asked her as he removed the helmet "I'm not hallucinating due to loss of oxygen?"

"No." she giggled.

"Would be a good hallucination." He smiled as he stood pulling Hermione with him and pulled her into a tight hug before kissing her passionately, one hand sliding into her curls as he tried to pull her closer. "How are you here?" he asked her once they pulled away from each other.

She opened her mouth to tell him about how Rose had pushed her towards danger and then trapped her there, but she couldn't ruin the image he had off her. Rose was like his little sister and she couldn't take that from him, she helped bring him back from the war and Hermione was grateful for that and she would not ruin it by Rose's petty jealousy. She'd just have to stay alert to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

"I got cut off from the others by the Ood, so I apparated to the TARDIS, didn't think it would work, but…" she shrugged. "Rose is fine and the TARDIS is over that way…" she pointed before she frowned "Did you drop?" she asked as she looked up from where he fell.

"Yeah." He looked round "Air cushion to support the fall..." he turned the comm. on remembering Ida "You can breathe down here, Ida." The comm. cackled "Can you hear me, Ida?" There was a noise and the two of them looked up "A rocket..." he whispered as they watched as it flew further and further away.

The Doctor shone his torch on the wall of the underground cavern, there were crude drawings of a horned beast and tiny stick figures surrounding it.

"History of some big battle." He murmured to Hermione and Ida "Man against Beast. I dunno if you're getting this, Ida. Hope so. Anyway, they defeated the Beast and imprisoned it." The light of his torch fell on what looked like a large vase on a stand. Surprised, he turned the torch light back on the symbols of people carrying the vase on their heads. He approached the vase, Hermione following and they both found another one in line with the first. "Or maybe that's the key..."

Hermione touched the vase, and they both lit up. "Or the gate, or the bars..." she told him.

They both turned upon hearing a quiet growl. Their mouth dropped open, as they stared at a huge horned roaring beast, chained down before them.

The Doctor stared at the Beast "I accept that you exist. I don't have to accept what you are, but you're physical existence, I'll give you that." The Beast growled and the Doctor took a few step forward making sure to keep Hermione behind him. "But I don't understand. We were expected down here. I was given a safe landing, and air. You need us for something. What for?" The Beast lunged forwards, straining against the chains holding him. "Have we got to..." the Doctor was completely out of his depth "I dunno, beg an audience? Or...is there a ritual? Some sort of incantation or summons or spell," he winked at Hermione. The Beast just looked at them. "Speak to me! Tell me!" there was no reply "You won't talk. Or...you can't talk. Hold on, hold on. Wait a minute, just let me..." he thought hard "Oh! No. Yes! No...Think it through, you spoke before. We heard your voice. An intelligent voice. No, more than that, brilliant! But, looking at you now...all I can see..." the Beast growled "is..." it continued to growl "Beast. The animal. Just...the body. You're just the body, the physical form! What's happened to your mind? Hmm? Where's it gone? Where's that intelligence?" he glance upwards as it dawned on him "Oh, no..."

Hermione followed his gaze "Toby." She gasped "I knew he wasn't completely clean."

The Doctor shined his torch on the symbols covering the walls again. "You're imprisoned. Long time ago. Before the universe, after, sideways, inbetween, doesn't matter. The positioning is perfect. It's absolutely...it's eternal. Oh, yes! Open the prison, the gravity field collapses! This planet falls into the black hole! You escape, you die. Brilliant!" he said working it all out "But that's just the body. The body is trapped, that's all. The devil is just an idea. In all those civilisations, just an idea." He paused edging forwards "But an idea is hard to kill. An idea could escape. The mind, the mind of the great Beast, the mind can escape! Oh, but that's it! You didn't give us air, your jailers did! They set this up! All those years ago! They need us alive. Because if you're escaping, then we've gotta stop you." The Beast roared in fury, straining against the chains. The Doctor picked up a rock. "If we destroy your prison, your body is destroyed. Your mind with it." He swung the rock over his head, ready to bring it crashing down on the vase, but Hermione stopped him and removed the rock from his hand.

"But then you're clever enough to use this whole system against us." She commented to the Beast "If we destroy this planet, we destroy the gravity field. The rocket. The rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole. We'll have to sacrifice Rose."

The Doctor had a look of mild disgust on his face and the Beast laughs mirthlessly. "So, that's the trap. Or the test or the final judgment, I don't know. But if we kill you, we kill her." The Beast laughed and roars at them. "Except that implies, in this big grand scheme of Gods and Devils, that she's just a victim. But I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi gods and would-be gods, out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing...just one thing..." he looked to Hermione "I believe in her." Hermione smiled at him and then lifted the rock over her head and smashed the vase. The Doctor smashed the other vase. "This is your freedom! Free to die. You're going into that black hole."

Flames fell from the Beasts mouth as Hermione grabbed the Doctors hand and pulled him back the way to the TARDIS. She could hear the Beast struggling behind her. The cave shook and sent the two crashing into the side of the TARDIS. The Doctor beamed at the sight of her as Hermione pulled him in. He laughed in delight as he ran up to the console and pressed a few buttons so they could pick up Ida.

The TARDIS appeared around Ida and Hermione bent down to check on her as the Doctor ran around the console again so he could go and save the rocket and Rose.

"Sorry about the hijack, Captain." The Doctor said into the comm. "This is the good ship TARDIS." He grinned at Hermione "Now, first thing's first, have you got a Rose Tyler on board?"

Hermione swallowed when she heard Rose's cheerful reply "I'm here! It's me! Oh, my God!" Rose's laughter was heard "Where are you?"

"I'm just towing you home. Gravity-schmavity. My people practically invented black holes." He said "Well, in fact, they did." He pulled a lever "In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and captain, can we do a swap? Say, if you give me Rose Tyler, I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

He looked to Ida to see her now propped against a pillar, Hermione next to her.

"She's alive!" Zach asked delighted.

"Yes! Thank God." Danny said relieved.

"Yeah! Bit of oxygen starvation, but she should be all right. I couldn't save the Ood." He said more solemn "I only had time for one trip. They went down with the planet." His computer bleeped "Ah! Entering clear space, end of the line, mission closed."

oOo

Rose walked through the TARDIS doors beaming. The Doctor saved her and now it was just the two of them. Her and _her_ Doctor, travelling through the universe. She looked back through the doors to see him handing Ida to Zach and smiled lovingly, she couldn't wait to tell him how she saved the day and how Hermione cowered away in fear. She turned round and froze, paling slightly when she saw Hermione leaning against the console with her arms crossed over her chest.

Hermione watched Rose silently as she paled and glanced back at the Doctor, to see where he was. "I didn't tell him what you did. I couldn't do that to him. Imagine how heartbroken he would have been if he found out what you had attempted to do."

"He…he wouldn't believe you." Rose stuttered.

"I could allow him into my mind." Hermione shrugged "Or the TARDIS could have showed him, seeming as she sees everyone's past, present and futures. Do you believe she would've let you back on her if you had succeeded?" Rose paled more "If you pull a stunt like that again I will show you exactly how I took down several dark witches and wizards half my age. I'll show you exactly why they tremble in fear at my name." Rose swallowed seeing the truth in Hermione's eyes "Do you understand?" Hermione asked.

Rose nodded as Hermione moved from the console and walked towards the doors "I'm might go and say goodbye to Jefferson and the others."

Hermione walked out the TARDIS leaving a trebling and pale Rose behind, who wasn't receiving the normal warmth from the TARDIS.

oOo

Hermione put down her book on the History of the Daleks when someone knocked on her bedroom door.

"Come in!" she called and smiled when the Doctor entered. "Hey." She patted the spot next to her on her bed and he sat down.

"I thought I lost you when I could no longer hear you in my mind." He told her "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I feel the same." She smiled as she linked her fingers with his "I wouldn't know what to do without you in my life." She looked him intently in the eyes pulling all of her Gryffindor courage forward "I love you, Theta."

His lips crashed against hers after a moments silence, pouring all his love into it "I love you, too." He whispered when he pulled back before he pulled her into another kiss.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped one around her waist and his hand on the other held the back of her neck as he swiped his tongue against her lips asking for entrance. Hermione opened her mouth allowing the Doctor to slip his tongue in to twine with hers, both moaning at the contact, they tilted their heads more to deepen the kiss. The Doctor pulled away and the started kissing down her jawline to her neck before he found her pulse point and started sucking and biting on it.

"Theta…" Hermione moaned as she ran her hands through his hair.

After he was pleased with the mark on her neck he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers "I want to complete the bond." He told her.

"I want that too…" she smiled "But I want you to meet my magical family first."

"I could do that." He nodded before his kissed her again "I love you." He grinned.

"I love you." She beamed before pulled him down into a kiss. "What would you like to learn about today?" she asked leaning over him to her bedside table to several books "We have Werewolves, Mermaids or Dangerous Magical Plants."

The Doctor scrunched his face up in thought "Mermaids."

Hermione smiled before she started reading aloud, lying down on the bed, the Doctor following her and wrapping his arm around her as he listened.


	10. Chapter 9: Meeting with Magic

**AN: This is my original chapter and there is a sex scene at the end.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Meeting with Magic**

"You sure you okay with this?" Hermione asked.

"Of course." The Doctor grinned.

"If they get too much, tell me and we'll leave."

"I will…but they can't be worse than the Slitheen." He said.

"Whatever you say." She shrugged before knocking on the door of the Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow.

It was James Sirius' 2nd Birthday and Hermione had decided that this was the best event to bring the Doctor to meet her family. They had just dealt this this alien who absorbed people through touch. Jackie had called and told them about this man Elton who had broken her heart all to get to Rose, so Rose had demanded that they confront Elton. That was when they bumped into the alien that wanted to absorb the Doctor. They really hadn't needed to save the day, it was the people who the alien had absorbed that did it.

Hermione had seen the pained look on Elton's face when one of the faces said goodbye before it disappeared into the ground and she had rushed to try and help relieve that pain and with the Doctors help, they sort of brought Ursula back for Elton. It was just her face on a slab of rock but he was unbelievably happy to have her back. After that Rose had decided to stay with Jackie for a few days to help cheer her up.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed and pulled her into a hug when he had opened the door "I didn't think you'd make it."

"Like I said, I wouldn't miss my Godsons birthday." She grinned "Harry you remember the Doctor."

"Hiya." Harry smiled shaking his hand "Has she warned you about the Weasley's?"

"Yeah" the Doctor nodded "Bill is part Werewolf and will pull you into a conversation about anything, Charlie will talk none stop about Dragons and I, if he finds out I'm alien. Percy will talk about politics, don't eat or take anything off George. Ronald doesn't have a filter so don't take offence and he eats like a pig and Ginny will talk about fashion and sports." He listed of "Mr Weasley might ask me what a rubber duck is for and Mrs Weasley will try and fatten me up."

Harry snorted "She warned you about Ronald and Mrs Weasley's hostility towards her."

The Doctor nodded "She told me to let it happen…but I won't…"

"Doctor…" Hermione began.

"No! If I don't like their comments, I'm telling them so."

"I really like him." Harry grinned. "Come in."

The walked in to the living room and everyone quieted at the sight of the Doctor. "Hermione!"

"Hi Ginny." She hugged the redhead.

"So this must be the Doctor." Ginny looked him up and down, before she nodded at Hermione "She warned you?"

"Yep." He grinned and opened his mouth to listed it all off again.

"Don't…" Hermione put her hand over his mouth. He just grinned and winked. "Doctor this is Arthur Weasley and his wife Molly." She gestured to them "that is Bill, his wife Fleur and their daughter Victorie, Charlie, George, Percy, his wife Audrey and their daughter Molly, and that's Ronald." She pointed.

"Mi! Mi!" a little voice squealed excitedly.

"This little man is James." Hermione said picking him up and hugging him. The Doctor smiled at Hermione as she held a giggling James and he could help imagining their own child in her arms. "Everyone this is the Doctor, my…boyfriend."

Everyone greeted him before they went back to what they were doing. Hermione could feel two sets of eyes burning into her head. She knew who they were and she continued to ignore them like usual. They did their rounds talking to everyone, Bill and Charlie had asked the Doctor exactly what he did and he told them about some of the places he had travelled, within the Earth parameters and time, so he didn't give anything away.

Mr Weasley asked him several questions on muggle things, while Mrs Weasley bombarded him with question after question about his life. Hermione knew Mrs Weasley was comparing the Doctor to Ronald and finding it hard not to see the Doctor was the better choice for her. The Doctor had debated muggle and wizarding politics with Percy and questioned George about his pranks and told him a few that he had done with his friend at school. As this was going on Ronald never removed his glare from the Doctor.

"He's a hit." Ginny said "Even mum like's him." she gestured over to Mrs Weasley who was smiling at compliments that the Doctor was giving her for the biscuits she had out.

"He eez incredibly smart." Fleur said "And not bad to look at."

Ginny hummed in agreement as Hermione rolled her eyes at them. "How's travelling with your alien soulmate?" she asked Hermione.

"Fun and dangerous." She replied.

"And with your cousin there?" Hermione didn't answer "Harry said that she is in love with him."

"Overly in love and jealous, there are a few glares and insults. But nothing I can't handle." Hermione told her.

"Dinners ready." Mrs Weasley called.

oOo

"…_Happy Birthday dear James, Happy Birthday to you."_ Everyone sang as Harry stood in front of Ginny and James with a Dragon birthday cake.

Everyone cheered when he managed to blow the candles out and then they all received a slice. Everyone chatted until the silence was broken.

"So Hermione." Ron called making several people groan "Has your boyfriend seen your scars?" Hermione tensed and everyone went silent "I should warn you mate, there not pleasant."

"I don't care. She beautiful either way."

Ron snorted "There not when you see them."

"Ron…" Harry warned.

"Half her face could be burned off and I would still find her beautiful." The Doctor growled.

"You must be delusional if you think she's beautiful. She nothing but a cold hearted, frigid bitch."

"Do you call her that because it's what you believe or because you're angry she broke up with you as she refused to conform to your sexist ideals on how women should be?" Ron just glared "You're also annoyed that she's moved on from you." The Doctor said calmly "You're annoyed that she smarter than you, that she can decided for herself than have a man do it. She is a better person than you."

"She not better than me." Ron fumed.

"She is. She always will. She never needed years of magical blood to make her better than every pureblood out there, she never needed magical blood to succeed she worked for it, she doesn't need to use her heroine status to get a job or someone to sleep with her. She just needs to be herself. So she is better than you."

Everyone remained silent, all seeing the deep love the Doctor had in his eyes as he spoke. Hermione just stared at the Doctor with love, he was defending her and he didn't care about the scars he's never seen. Her heart soared and she swore she fell deeper in love with him.

"I love her with _both_ my hearts." He replied making people gasp at the heart comment. "I have waited centuries, fought a war and became the last of my kind, all to get to meet her. My soulmate." Everyone continued to stare "Hermione Granger, I love you."

"I love you, too." She smiled before she kissed him.

"Aww." Ginny said smiling brightly "Shut up, Ron." She snapped when she saw Ron's mouth open again "If you don't, I'm throwing you out and it's all of us against you."

Ron looked to his mother knowing she always fought on his side but she just shook her head before she whispered something to Hermione. Ron quickly stood his chair falling to the floor before he stormed out of the house.

"Congratulations on your soulmate." Mr Weasley smiled "But Doctor, us Weasley men must warn you…"

"If you hurt her…" George continued.

"…There will be no where you can hide…" Bill stated.

"…Or run…" Charlie nodded.

"…where we will not find you…" Percy called.

"…and kill you." They finished in unison.

Hermione beamed happy that her magical family accepted her relationship. Happy tears streamed down her face as she stood and hugged all of them. "I love you all." She said and they beamed.

oOo

Hermione flopped onto the captain's chair in the TARDIS with a happy smile. The Doctor sent the TARDIS into the vortex before he sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"That was better than I thought, Ron didn't even hex anyone." Hermione grinned "They all liked you."

"They're great people." He nodded.

"They practically accepted you when they did the whole 'we'll kill you if you hurt her'" she chuckled.

"That was weird how they did that together."

"Harry and I think it's genetic. Fred and George used to do it 24/7, but the others could usually join in." she shrugged. She kissed his cheek and smiled "I love you."

"I love you, too." He kissed her deeply wrapping his arms tightly around her.

Hermione sighed into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss turned more passionate as the Doctor slipped his hand into her hair and titled her head back. Hermione opened her mouth to allow him entrance and they explored each other's mouths with their tongues. Hermione suddenly straddled him, she pulled back when she need air and moaned when the Doctor started to suck and bite his way down her neck.

The Doctors hands roamed her body before they slipped under her top and up her back as he felt her skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake. Hermione unbutton his suit jacket pushing it off his shoulders and throwing it to the floor, his tie following. She slowly started to unbutton his shirt before hands stopped her. She looked up into his deep brown eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive." She smiled "I love you and want to be connected to you in every way I can be."

He suddenly stood picking her up. Hermione squealed and wrapped her legs around his legs and he kissed her deeply again and walked towards his room. Hermione continued to unbutton his shirt, feeling his skin as she went along. Her back was pressed against a hard surface as the Doctor started sucking and nipping at her collar bone. Hermione gasped and rocked her hips at a particular hard suck and the Doctor moaned rocking his hips also.

He hurriedly opened his bedroom door and soon she was landing on his bed. She quickly pushed his shirt of as he kicked his shoes and socks off. He leaned over her as she pulled her own top of and chucked it to the floor. He froze when he spotted a thick red line running from her left breast to her right hip. From the corner of his eye he saw her about to cover herself but he stopped her.

"Don't, like I said their beautiful, show me the others." He whispered. Hermione watched him silently as he continued to stare at the scar she received from Dolohov. He slowly traced it with his fingertips making her shiver as a fire lit inside her at the loving look she was still receiving. "Show me."

Hermione nodded before she removed the glamour on her left forearm and he jiggered words of 'Mudblood' appeared. The Doctor growled before he pulled her left arm towards him and kissed each letter. Hermione then turned her back on him to show the several scars she had received during the battle from stray curses and he kissed each of them lovingly before he pulled her back against his chest and kissed her shoulder.

"Beautiful." He murmured in her ear kissing up from her shoulder to her neck making her tilt her head to the side to allow him more access. "My beautiful Hermione."

Hermione turned her head and captured his lips with hers as she reached around and removed her bra. The Doctors hand trailed the scar on her stomach to her breast. He massaged it and pinched and twisted her nibble. Hermione moaned before she turned in his arms and started to remove his trousers and underwear. The Doctor did the same to her, leaving them both bare to each other. The Doctor ran his hands up her thighs as he kissed downwards and pulled a nibble into his mouth and sucked. Hermione arched into him and place her hand on the back of his head as she moaned and panted.

"Theta." she breathed as he moved to the other nipple.

His fingers ran through her folds before he slipped a finger through them and started pumping, he added another making Hermione gasp in pleasure and her head fall back. Her eyes closed tightly as she started to rock her hips. The Doctor lifted his head to watch her enraptured by her beautiful flushed skin before he kissed her deeply their tongues entwining with each other.

Hermione reached down between them and grabbed him in her hand and started to pump making him groan.

"Hermione." He moaned.

"I want and need you now." She demanded.

"Not yet, a few more seconds."

He added a third finger and increased his pumping and curled his fingers hitting the right spot inside her and his thumb rubbed her nub. Hermione screamed out in pressure and tightened her hand around him slightly as she continued to pump her hand. The knot in her stomach grew tighter and tighter.

"Don't…stop…" she panted as she gripped his shoulder her nails biting "I'm gonna…"

Her world exploded as the Doctor continued to pump her through her orgasm. She slumped into the mattress weightlessly. She felt the Doctor kiss up her neck and then kiss her languidly, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she wrapped a leg around his hips to pull him closer both moans when her centre brushed against his length.

"Ready?" he asked quietly. She nodded as he lined himself up rubbing the head of his length in her juices before he slipped into her.

"Oh Merlin!" she gasped as he stretched her and reached places no one had before.

The Doctor muttered quietly against her neck as he felt her hug him snuggly and he found it hard to hold his release. He gripped her hips tightly as he pulled out slowly and thrust into her slowly. Both moaned as he slowly moved his hips, Hermione matching him. She panted heavily and wrapped her other leg around him.

"Faster." She panted and he picked the pace up and started to shower her body with kisses as she sucked his earlobe into her mouth, her hand tugging at his hair.

"Hermione." He panted as he sped up and removed one off her legs and placed it over his shoulder. She felt amazing around him and he could stay like this forever. Hermione arched at the pleasure of the new deep angle and pulled at his hair.

"Faster…Hard…Theta don't stop." The Doctor increased his sped as he started to pump hard into her making them moan and pant. "Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop." Hermione panted as the knot reappeared and grew tighter and tighter. Fire lit her body.

"Scream for me Hermione, scream my name." the Doctor whispered into her ear as he bit her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth and his hand found her nub.

"THETA!" she screamed at the intense pleasure and she bit into his shoulder as her hands scratched down his back. Her world explode once more as she screamed his name again.

"HERMIONE!" he screamed as he filled her with his seed.

The same golden light filled the room like it had when they shared their first kiss. It surrounded them as it connected them in heart, soul and mind completely and for all eternity. As the light disappeared it flowed into the vine marks on their left arms to signal that they were both now complete. They both collapsed on the bed next to each other panting.

The Doctor traced the now golden vine mark on Hermione's arm, his name now written there in golden Gallifreyian. He looked to his and saw Hermione's name with his golden mark.

Hermione traced his mark and smiled "I love you."

"I love you, too." He replied. "Do you regret it?"

"Never." She breathed her eyes closing "You're my soulmate, the man I was born for and will love for all eternity and after that."

"In the eyes of my people were now technically married."

Hermione hummed "Same here."

"It wasn't too soon for you?" he asked slightly fearful that they had rushed their bonding.

"No, maybe in the future we can have an actual ceremony to make it official in people's eyes." She shrugged "But I don't care, I have you completely now and I'm not letting you go."

"I'll never let you go." He murmured as Hermione's eyes fell closed again and she was soon asleep "Your mine and I am yours." He whispered pulling her close and kissing her forehead before he too drifted asleep.


	11. Chapter 10: Fear Her

**Chapter 10: Fear Her**

The TARDIS materialised between two gates. The Doctor opened the door but found he had parked the TARDIS the wrong way round. The gate blocking to doorway.

"Ah." He muttered before heading back inside. The TARDIS dematerialised, and materialised again, this time the right way round. The Doctor stepped out Hermione behind him chuckling at his bad parking "Ah!" Rose followed them.

Both the Doctor and Hermione had found it hard to keep their hands from each other when Rose had returned from Jackie's. The completed bond was new and hard to satisfy. But they managed, with difficulty. Hermione had also been keeping her distance from Rose, she didn't want another attempt on her life. But she knew if it happened again she wouldn't be keeping it from the Doctor. They looked around and Rose noticed a Shayne Ward poster advertising his greatest hits album tacked onto a fence.

"So, near future, yeah?" Rose asked.

"I had a passing fancy." The Doctor told them, Hermione rolled her eyes. It wasn't a passing fancy he'd asked little James to say 4 numbers and James just babbled about his ages before his birthday and it came out as 2…0…1…2 "Only it didn't pass, it stopped." They walked down the road towards a street with a banner saying 'LONDON 2012' "30th Olympia."

Rose linked her arm through his delighted "No way! Why didn't I think of this, that's great! Ah!"

The Doctor linked his other arm with Hermione, who hadn't tensed at Rose's contact, she now knew he was hers completely and there was nothing Rose could do.

"Only seems like yesterday a few naked Greek blokes were tossing a discus about..." the Doctor beamed. "…Wrestling each other in the sand with crowds stood about, begging...no, wait a minute...that was Club Med." He laughed at his own joke, nudging Rose as Hermione rolled her eyes at him again "Just in time for the opening doo dah, ceremony...tonight, I thought you'd like that. Last one they had in London was dynamite. Wembley, 1948. I loved it so much, I went back and watched it all over again. Fella carrying the torch...lovely chap, what was his name..." he trailed off. Hermione and Rose had noticed the 'MISSING' posters tacked onto the lamp post, Rose moved closer to investigate, as the Doctor carried on oblivious, still yapping to himself, pulling Hermione along. "Mark...? John..? Mark...? Legs like pipe cleaners, but strong as a whippet."

"Doctor..." Hermione called trying to pull him back towards the posters.

"And in those days, everybody had a tea party to go to." He continued.

"Doctor?"

"Did you ever have one of those little cakes with the crunchy ball bearings on top..."

"You should really look." Rose called.

"Do you know those, those things?" he finally sauntered over to her with Hermione "Nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius." He read the posters "What's taking them, do you think?" he asked as he scanned the street "Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold...? Is something reducing the temperature...?"

"It says they all went missing this week." Hermione stated reading the posters.

"Why would a person do something like this?" Rose asked.

The Doctor considered Rose "What makes you think it's a person?" he asked her. The Doctor turned and walked down to the other end of the road pulling Hermione with him.

The Doctor quickly stepped onto someone's lawn and held his hand out in front of him, as though feeling something invisible. He crouched, his hand hovering above what appeared to be an ordinary area of grass. The Doctor giggled making Hermione raise her eyebrow at him as he felt whatever sensation he was experiencing over the grass.

"Tickles!" he giggled again.

Hermione reached forward and waved her hand over the spot and felt the tickling sensation he felt. A shadow appeared over them, they turned their heads and found a man there with his hands in his pockets.

"What's your game?" the man asked.

"My...um...Snakes and Ladders?" the Doctor floundered "Quite good at...Squash. Reasonable." He noticed the look on the man's face and pulled Hermione behind him "I'm...being facetious, aren't I?" he asked Hermione who nodded "There's no call for it." The man grabbed the Doctor and shoved him back on the street and before he could do the same to Hermione the Doctor had grabbed her and pulled her to him. "I'm...I'm a police officer!" he called "I've got a badge, and...and a police car...you don't have to get...I can...I can prove it! Just hold on." He fished in his pocket for the psychic paper.

"We've had plenty of coppers poking around here, and you don't look, or sound, like any of them." the man said roughly.

The Doctor spotted Rose "See, look! I've got another colleague! Lewis." Rose gave the man a policeman-like wink.

"Well, she looks less like a copper than you do."

"Training. New recruit." Hermione stated.

"It was either that or hairdressing, so..." he brandished his psychic paper at the man "Voila!"

A black woman joined them "What are you going to do?" she asked.

"The police have knocked on every door, no clues, no leads, nothing." An old woman said standing next to Rose.

"Look, kids run off sometimes, all right?" the man said "That's what they do..."

"Dale Hixon in your garden, playing with your Tommy, and then...!" the old woman mimicked something disappearing "Right in front of me, like he was never there!" Hermione frowned curiously at that and looked round "There's no need to look any further than this street. It's right here amongst us."

"Why don't we..." the Doctor began.

"Why don't we start with him?" a neighbour pointed at a road worker "There's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night."

"Fixing things up for the Olympics!" the worker said indignantly.

"Yeah, and taking an awful long time about it." Tommy's dad complained.

"I'm of the opinion that all we've gotta do is just..." the Doctor tried again.

"You don't...what you just said, that's slander!" the worker cut in.

"I don't care what it is!" the neighbour shouted.

"I think we need to just..." the Doctor said.

"I want an apology off her!" the worker pointed.

"Stop picking on him." the old woman defended.

"Yeah, stop picking on me!"

"And stop pretending to be blind! It's evil!"

The neighbour glared at the worker "I don't believe in evil."

"Oh no, you just believe in tarmackers with sack loads of kidnapped kiddies in their van..." the worker said angrily.

"Ay, ay, ay, that's not what she's saying." Tommy's dad cut in.

"Would you stop ganging up on me?!"

"Feeling guilty, are we?" the neighbour demanded shrilly.

"Fingers on lips!" the Doctor shouted over the babble and put his finger on his lips, Hermione copied him immediately with a smile. He glared around at them all as if daring them not to do the same. Slowly everyone followed. The Doctor looked pointedly at Rose, who followed suit. Now all of them had their fingers on their lips, and silence had fallen. "In the last six days, three of your children have been stolen. Snatched out of thin air, right?" he asked.

"Er...can I...?" the old woman gestured to her finger. The Doctor motioned for her to go ahead and she removed her finger. "Look around you...this was a safe street 'til it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will. Maybe you're coppers, maybe you're not. I don't care who you are. Can you please help us?"

oOo

The Doctor sniffed around the front lawn like a sniffer-dog. Hermione and Rose watched him for a few moments.

"Want a hanky?" Rose commented.

"Can you smell it?" Hermione and Rose sniffed. "What does it remind you of?"

"Metal." Hermione said.

The Doctor nodded "Mm-hm!" The Doctor stood and they walked off down the street, they turned and walked down a narrow alleyway. "Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out the other." He felt for something again "Whoa, there it goes again!" he showed Hermione and Rose the back of his hand "Look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand."

"There's that smell again." Hermione said sniffing "it's like a um...a burnt fuse plug or something."

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanished." The Doctor explained as they walked out of the alley "Whatever it was, it used an awful lot of power to do this."

"Aren't you a beautiful boy?!" Hermione cooed from behind the Doctor and Rose.

The Doctor beamed "Thanks! I'm experimenting with back-combing." He then noticed she was talking to a cat "Oh." He pouted disappointed.

'_Don't pout, my handsome Doctor.'_ Hermione echoed in his mind as she stroked the cat he smiled at her slightly "I used to have one like you." She told the cat as it meowed and purred. The Doctor watched uncomfortably, looking as though he had a nasty taste in his mouth. "What?" Hermione asked noticing the look.

"No, I'm not really a cat person." He told her "Once you've been threatened by one in a nun's wimple, it kind of takes the joy out of it." The cat wandered over to Rose who smiled and gave it a stroke.

"You would have love Crookshanks, he was half Kneazle. They're very good judges of characters and are very protective." Hermione told him.

"Come here, puss!" the heard Rose call "What do you wanna go in there for?" There was a whooshing sound, and the cat's meow echoed slightly as if fading into the distance. "Doctor!" Rose called and he hurried over to her, Hermione behind him. Rose hurriedly stood up as the smell hit her.

The Doctor and Hermione backed off "Whoa! Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" He waved the smell away and picked up the empty cardboard box. "Iron residue. Blimey! That takes some doing!" he turned the box round impressed "Just to snatch a living organism out of space and time. This baby is just like," he put a rough accent on "'I'm 'avin' some of that', I'm impressed."

"So the cat's been transported?" Rose asked.

"It can harness huge reserves of ionic power. We need to find the source of that power." He looked round "Find the source and you will find...whatever has taken to stealing children and fluffy animals. See what you can see." He whacked Rose on the shoulder and gestured to his eyes "Keep 'em peeled, Lewis." Rose nodded as the Doctor and Hermione walked off.

oOo

The Doctor and Hermione ran round the corner, they had worried when Rose hadn't returned.

"Stay still!" the Doctor called to Rose as he pointed his sonic screwdriver at the giant scribble that had attacked her, and it convulsed, collapsing into a small ball which fell into Rose's outstretched hands. The Doctor rushed to Rose and stood over her. "Okey dokey?" He held out his hand and pulled Rose to her feet.

"Yeah, cheers." Rose breathed out of breath.

"No probs." They shared a quick hug before returning their attention to the object in Rose's hand. "I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell it is." He poked it with the sonic screwdriver "'Cos I haven't got the foggiest."

"Well, I can tell you you've just killed it." Rose said.

"It was never living." The Doctor took it off her "It's animated by energy. Same energy that's snatching people." He threw it up and down, quite delighted "That is so dinky! The Go-Anywhere creature. Fits in your pocket...makes friends, impresses the boss...breaks the ice at parties..." He pocketed it as Hermione laughed and they move off.

oOo

The Doctor had put the object on the TARDIS console for analyse. "Oh, hi ho, here we go. Let's have a look." The Doctor, Hermione and Rose were watching the computer screen, which was displaying Gallifreyian symbols. Hermione recognised some of the words as the Doctor had taken to teaching her when she had seen his name written in the language by her bond mark "Get out of here..." he said surprised. Hermione frowned before she recognised the word and her eyebrows shot up.

"What's it say?" Rose asked.

As if to confirm what he has just seen, the Doctor took a pencil from his pocket and held the object out in front of him. He used the rubber at the end of the pencil to rub out part of the object.

"It is!" he blew at it "Its graphite! Basically the same material as an HB pencil."

"I was attacked by a...pencil scribble?" Rose asked.

"Scribble creature." He sniffed it and then let Hermione and Rose sniff it "Brought into being with ionic energy. Whatever we're dealing with, it can create things as well as take them. But...why make a scribble creature?!"

"Maybe it was a mistake..." Hermione said "I mean, you scribble over something when you wanna get rid of it. Like a like a drawing. Like a..." a look of realisation crossed her face "a child's drawing, James does it all the time."

"You said it was in the street." Rose said.

"Probably..." the Doctor nodded.

"The girl."

"Of course!...What girl?"

"Something about her gave me the creeps...even her own mum looked scared of her."

The Doctor leaned in "Are you deducting?"

Rose gave him a conspiratorial look "I think I am."

"Copper's hunch?"

"Permission to follow it up, Sarge."

oOo

They stood at the door of the house Rose had brought them too. The Doctor rang the doorbell, when there was no answer he rattled the letter box. The door was opened by the black woman from before.

They all gave her friendly smiles. "Hello! I'm the Doctor, this is Hermione and this is Rose. Can we see your daughter?"

"No!" the woman snapped "You can't."

"Okay! Bye." They walked away in silence, waiting, and sure enough.

"Why?" They turned in unison. "Why do you want to see Chloe?"

"Well, there's some interesting stuff going on in this street, and I just thought, well, we thought, that she might like to give us a hand."

"Sorry to bother you." Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, sorry. We'll let you get on with things. On your own. Bye again!"

They turned and walk away again, but the woman didn't close the door. And after a few moments.

"Wait!" she called and the Doctor, Hermione and Rose turned again. The expression on the woman's face was helpless, vulnerable. "Can you help her?"

The Doctor smiled "Yes, I can."

She stepped back and allowed them in "I'm Trish, by the way."

"_The Torch Bearer is running up towards the mall, which I can tell you is..."_ the Olympic commentator said from the TV as they entered the living room.

Rose sat herself down on the sofa while the Doctor flung his coat down next to her and Hermione sat on the other end of the sofa. The Doctor then perched himself next to Hermione on the arm of the sofa. Rose watched the movement, she had noticed recently that the two had gotten closer, she noticed the little touches and secret smiles. Something happened when she had been gone and she didn't like it. It had made her regret leaving Hermione alone with her Doctor for a few days while she cheered up her mum.

"She stays in her room, most of the time." Trish told them pulling Rose away from the Doctor and Hermione "I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone."

"What about Chloe's dad?" Rose asked.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago."

"I'm sorry."

"You wouldn't be if you'd known him."

"Well! Let's go and say hi!" the Doctor said brightly.

"I should check on her first..." Trish said hesitantly "she might be asleep."

"Why are you afraid of her, Trish?" Hermione asked.

"I want you to know before you see her that's she's really a great kid."

"I'm sure she is." The Doctor nodded.

"She's never been in trouble at school...you should see her report from last year. As and Bs." She smiled proud.

Rose smiled back "Can I use your loo?" she asked and Trish nodded. The Doctor and Hermione watched her leave the room.

"She's in the choir..." Trish continued "She's singing in an old folks home. Any mum would be proud." They heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs "You know...I want you to know these things before you see her. Because right now, she's not herself."

The Doctor nodded before he pulled Hermione up and popped his head around the corner, looking through the dining room into the kitchen. "All right, there?" he asked as Chloe drank some milk from the fridge. The Doctor walked into the kitchen, Hermione and Trish behind him. He settled himself against a table, pulling Hermione to him as Chloe replaced the milk and closed the fridge door. "I'm the Doctor and this is Hermione."

Chloe faced them "I'm Chloe Webber."

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?" he asked.

"I'm busy. I'm making something. Aren't I, mum?"

Trish swallowed before looking to the Doctor and Hermione "And like I said, she's not been sleeping."

"But you've been drawing, though." Hermione observed.

"I'm rubbish." The Doctor commented "Stick men are about my limit,"

'_James liked your Dinosaur drawing.'_ Hermione told him.

His lips twitched as he continued out loud "Can do this, though..." He did the 'live long and prosper' sign from Star Trek. Chloe's face remained expressionless. "Can you do that?" Trish nodded at Chloe, encouraging her to answer.

"They don't stop moaning." Chloe complained.

"Chloe..." Trish sighed.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning."

"Who don't?" Hermione asked her quietly as the Doctor lowered his hand.

"We can be together."

Trish moved towards Chloe her hand reaching for her "Sweetheart..."

"Don't touch me, mum." Trish stopped in her tracks, letting her hand fall back to her side. She, the Doctor and Hermione glanced at one another. "I'm busy...Doctor. Hermione." She left.

The Doctor called after her disappointed "Oh, come on, Chloe! Don't be a spoil sport!" he and Hermione followed her back into the hallway "What's the big project? I'm dying to know! What're you making up there?"

"Doctor!" Rose called terrified upstairs and the Doctor lurched forward and sprinted up the stairs, Hermione, Trish and Chloe following.

Rose was staring into the wardrobe as though transfixed when the Doctor and Hermione ran into the room.

"I'm coming to hurt you..." a deep masculine voice threatened.

The Doctor slammed the wardrobe doors shut without as much as a glance at the inside.

"Look at it." Rose breathed.

"No, ta." He walked away to examine the drawings on the wall, putting his glasses on.

"What the hell was that?" Trish asked as Hermione stepped further into the room and looked round it.

"A drawing." Rose told her "The face of a man."

"What face?" Trish tried to open the doors but Rose rammed herself up against them, stopping her.

"Best not."

Trish turned to Chloe "What've you been drawing?"

"I'm drew him yesterday." Chloe replied.

"Who?"

"Dad."

Trish looked unpleasantly surprised and upset "Your dad? But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world, why him?"

"I dream about him, staring at me." she told her mum.

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?"

"We need to stay together."

"Yes, we do."

"No." Chloe glared "Not you. Us." The Doctor and Hermione glanced around at this. "We need to stay together. And then it'll be all right." Trish went over to her, putting her hands on her daughter's cheeks making Chloe flinch.

"Trish, the drawings, have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Rose asked.

"Who gave you permission to come into her room?" Trish said coldly to her "Get out of my house."

"Tell us about the drawings, Chloe." The Doctor stepped up.

"I don't wanna here any more of this."

"But that drawing of her dad..." Rose argued "I heard a voice. He spoke."

"He's dead. And these, they're kids pictures. Now get out!"

"Chloe has a power." Hermione cut in "And I don't know how, but she used it to take Danny Edwards. Dale Hicks, she's using it to snatch the kids."

"Get out!"

"Have you seen those drawings move?" Rose asked pleading.

"I haven't seen anything."

"Yes you have." Hermione stated.

"Out of the corner of your eye." The Doctor agreed.

Trish turned to them "No."

"And you dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possibly explain?" the Doctor moved to her "You dismiss it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever ag..."

"She's a child..."

Hermione moved over as well "And you're terrified of her. But there's no one to turn to, because who's gonna believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye?"

"No one. Except us." The Doctor told her.

"Who are you?" Trish asked them.

"We're help."

oOo

The Doctor swiped a jar of marmalade off the worktop, unscrewed the lid and dipped his fingers into it and started sucking the jam off. Hermione cleared her throat, making him pauses, and Hermione shook her head at him, mouthing 'no'. The Doctor, looked for all the world like a naughty schoolboy caught red-handed, he glanced at Trish who was just staring at him. He meekly replaced the lid and handed her the jar and she placed it behind them.

Hermione turned to Trish "Those pictures, they're alive. She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures."

"Ionic energy." The Doctor explained "Chloe's harnessing it to steal those kids and place them in some kid of holding-pen made up of ionic power."

"And what about the dad from hell in her wardrobe?" Rose asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you? He's dead." Trish replied frustrated.

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke."

"If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things..." the Doctor thought. He suddenly shivered violently, making Rose jump. "Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That's the dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this world..."

"She always got the worst of it when he was alive." Trish commented.

"Doctor, how can a twelve-year-old girl be doing any of this?" Rose asked.

"Let's find out." He said after a pause. He strode off, Hermione and Rose following him.

oOo

The Doctor, Hermione, Rose and Trish entered Chloe's bedroom. She was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

The Doctor stood before her, looking down at her. She said nothing, but did the 'live long and prosper' sign. "Nice one." He smiled kneeling in front of her, holding her head in his hands, fingers on her temples." Her eyes rolled back in her head for a moment before closing. He closed his own eyes before suddenly Chloe fell backwards onto the bed. "There we go..."

Trish stepped forward towards them in her concern "I can't let him do this..."

Hermione stopped her "Shh, it's okay. Trust him."

The Doctor straightened up and addressed Chloe "Now we can talk."

"I want Chloe." When Chloe spoke, her voice came out as a strange whisper, and it's obviously wasn't her. "Wake her up. I want Chloe."

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"I want Chloe Webber!"

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish asked upset.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked as the Doctor walked slowly around the bed, all the while looking down at Chloe.

"I'm speaking to you." He said to Chloe "The entity that is using this human child. I request parley in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation."

"I don't care about shadows or parley." Chloe replied.

"So what do you care about?" Hermione asked stepping forward.

"I want my friends."

The Doctor kneeled by her "You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself."

"I am one of many." Chloe answered "I travel with my brothers and sisters. We take an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone. I hate it. It's not fair. And I hate it!" Her eyes snapped open.

"Name yourself!"

"Isolus."

"You're Isolus." His eyes widened as if that explained everything "Of course."

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family." She was drawing on a piece of paper next to her on the bed whilst speaking.

Trish looked at the drawing "What's that?" she asked as the drawing began to take shape.

"Isolus Mother, drifting in Deep Space." The Doctor stood "See, she jettisons millions of fledgling spores. Her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them. They need to be together. They cannot be alone."

"Our journey is long." Chloe said.

"The Isolus children travel, each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up."

"Thousands of years just floating through space..." Hermione sighed "poor things."

"Don't they go mad with boredom?" Rose asked.

"We play." Chloe replied.

"You...play?"

The Doctor sat down on the bed. "Mm. While they travel, they play games." He told them "They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play."

"In-flight entertainment." Rose commented.

"Helps keep them happy. While they're happy, they can feed off each other's love. Without it, they're lost." He then turned to address Chloe "Why did you come to Earth?"

"We were too close." She ripped the piece of paper she was drawing on off the pad and started anew.

The Doctor looked at the drawing "That's a solar flare from your sun. Would've made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods."

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there." Chloe commented "And I cannot reach them. So alone."

"Your pod crashed..." Hermione frowned "Where is it?"

"My pod was drawn to heat...And I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me. And I her."

Hermione stroked Chloe's head "You empathised with her." The Doctor said "You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you."

"I want my family. It's not fair."

"I understand. You wanna make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself."

"I am alone."

There was a thump from the wardrobe making Trish gasp. "I'm coming to hurt you." Chloe's dad called. Chloe started to shake and tremble in fear, although her face remained impassive. There was a pounding on the door of the wardrobe. "I'm coming."

"Trish, how do you calm her?" Hermione asked as Chloe's body started jerking as though she is having a seizure.

"What?!" Trish asked.

"When she has nightmares, what do you do?" the Doctor asked.

"I...I..."

"What do you do?" he asked urgently.

"I sing to her."

"Then start singing." Hermione said softly and the Doctor motioned for Trish to come over. Trish took his place next to Chloe.

"Chloe...I'm coming." Chloe's dad growled.

"_Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he..."_ Trish sang

"Chloe...Chloe..." The banging and thumping on the door continued. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose look over at it, whilst Trish stroked Chloe's hair, trying to sooth her. "Chloe...Chloe..."

"_Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be."_ Trish continued to sing as the banging and the voice eventually faded. _"Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be." _Chloe was now asleep. Trish had tears falling down her cheeks "He came to her because she was lonely...Chloe, I'm sorry..." She buried her head in her little girl's shoulder, arms around her, sobbing.

oOo

Trish strode into the sitting room and started gathering up all the pencils that were lying around. "Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper. When he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car, I thought we were free." Rose handed her a bunch of pencils. "I thought it was over."

"Did you talk to her about it?" Rose asked.

"I didn't want to."

"But...maybe that's why Chloe feels so alone. 'Cos she has all these terrible dreams about her dad, but she can't talk to you about them."

"Her and the Isolus..." the Doctor spoke "two lonely kids who need each other."

"And it won't stop, will it, Doctor?" Hermione asked "It'll just keep pulling kids in."

"It's desperate to be loved. It's used to a pretty big family."

"How big?" Rose asked.

"Say around...four billion?" This reply drew a stunned silence from Hermione, Rose and Trish. Rose turned her attention to the television and Hermione linked her fingers with the Doctors.

oOo

The Doctor shrugged into his coat as he, Hermione and Rose left Trish's house.

"We need that pod." The Doctor said.

"It crashed, won't it be destroyed?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's been sucking in all the heat it can...hopefully that should keep it in a fit state to launch." He looked round "It must be close. It should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace. Once we find it, then we can stop the Isolus." The Doctor then looked to Hermione "Do you think your magic could help?"

"Possibly, I might have to come back and scan Chloe." Hermione told him.

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose approached the TARDIS. "We can scan for the same trace we picked up from the scribble creature. Just need to widen the field a bit." He fished in his pocket for the TARDIS key and opened the door and they went inside. None of them seeing Chloe watching from a distance, taking in the sight of the TARDIS.

The Doctor fumbled with some device, putting it together. Rose was sat in the chair next to the console. "You knew the Isolus was lonely before it told you. How?" Rose asked.

The Doctor shoved Rose off the chair and sat down on it himself. "I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. Give me the stina magnetic erm..." he nodded towards it violently "thing in your left hand!" Rose glanced at him, chewing on gum absent-mindedly.

"Sounds like you're on its side." Rose slotted the 'thing in her left hand' into the device whilst the Doctor held it still between his legs.

"I sympathise, that's all."

"The Isolus has caused a lot of pain for these people."

"It's a child!" Hermione exclaimed from where she was leaning on the console "That's why it went to Chloe, two lonely mixed up kids."

"Hmm...Feels to me like a temper tantrum because it can't get its own way." Rose said. Hermione gave her a 'look who's talking look'. But Rose ignored it.

"It's scared!" the Doctor defended "Come on, you were a kid once. Binary dot." Hermione handed him the binary dot.

"Yes!" Rose agreed "And I know what kids can be like. Right little...terrors."

The Doctor held his hand out under Rose's mouth "Gum."

Rose spat her gum out into his hand "I've got cousins. Kids can't have it all their own way. That's part of being a family."

The Doctor stuck the gum to the device, securing it. "What about trying to understand them?"

Rose turned away with a slight smile "Easy for you to say. You don't have kids."

"I was a dad once." The Doctor said offhandedly.

Rose turned to him shocked and stunned "What did you say?"

The Doctor didn't seem to notice the effect his words had on Rose as he didn't reply. Rose turned to see Hermione's reaction but found none. Hermione knew, Rose didn't like that at all. Why did Hermione know all this stuff and she didn't, she had known the Doctor longer but hardly knew him. Hermione had known about the regenerations, known about his many companions, known about him being a dad! And she knew nothing, it hurt.

"I think we're there!" the Doctor cheered pulling Rose from her thoughts. The Doctor stood and went over to the console "Fear. Loneliness. They're the big ones, Rose. Some of the most terrible acts ever committed have been inspired by them."

Hermione nodded in agreement "Tom Riddle became Voldemort through loneliness and a loveless life." She told them.

"We're not dealing with something that wants to conquer or destroy." He continued with a nod as Rose was still reeling from the bombshell he had just dropped. He carried on oblivious, pulling levers and pressing buttons on the console. "There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe." He indicated "Warp drive...wormhole refractors..." Rose held her hand out. "You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold." He noticed Rose's outstretched hand and took it, grinning.

"No! Look, I'm pointing." She laughed. The Doctor looked at the computer screen where she was pointing, a flashing white light on a map of the neighbourhood indicated the whereabouts of the pod.

"It's the pod!" he said excitedly "It is in the street! Everything's coming up Doctor!" He scooted off towards the doors. Rose following after a moment, still slightly distracted. Hermione frowned when she heard the TARDISes quiet groan. She slowly walked out the door after she patted the console comfortably and closed the door behind her. "Okay. It's about two inches across. Dull grey, like a gull's egg. Very light." The Doctor told them.

"So these pods, they travel from sun to sun using heat, yeah?" Rose asked "So it's not all about love and stuff. Doesn't the pod just need heat?" A crash from behind her caused her to turn, the device she, the Doctor and Hermione had just constructed was shattered on the floor, and the Doctor and Hermione had vanished. Rose's eyes widen in shock. "Doctor?" The TARDIS was also gone too. "Doctor?"

oOo

Rose grinned searching the streets for the Doctor. She had saved the day, just like her Doctor would have wanted and maybe, just maybe she will finally get her wish. She had seen the Doctor, but not Hermione. Maybe not everyone returned. She could live with that and yes the Doctor will be sad but she will be there to comfort him. She would finally have him to herself and they will live happily forever.

She spotted the Doctor walking down the street and she beamed. She checked the cupcake decorated in edible ball bearings in her hand was okay, before she started to head over. She frowned when she saw him stop and then froze when she saw a grinning Hermione running towards him.

She watched as Hermione jumped into the Doctors arms and he spun her around both laughing. Her heart broke and she fumed when Hermione pulled her Doctors head down and passionately kiss him and her heart broke more when the Doctor returned the kiss. They pulled away smiling and Rose tried to pull herself together. Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, she schooled her features and brought forward her happy smile before she sneaked forward towards them.

"Cake?" she asked when she had reached them.

The Doctor turned and started to laugh at the sight of the cupcake and so did she, finding it hard not to be happy to see him again, safe.

"Top banana!" he said delighted taking it from her hand. He took a bite out of it whilst Rose watched him "Mm. I can't stress this enough. Ball bearings you can eat, masterpiece!" Rose watched him for a few more seconds and then threw her arms around him, holding him tight.

"Ooh, I thought I'd lost you." She said, trying to read Hermione's reaction about them hugging, but she just watched silently. That annoyed her, why didn't Hermione get annoyed when she saw them together, like she did when she saw them before and countless other times.

"Nah! Not on a night like this! This is a night for lost things being found. Come on!"

The three of them walked down the road together.

"What now?" Rose asked.

"I wanna go to the games! What we came for!"

"Go on, give us a clue, which events do we do well in?" she asked him.

"Well, I will tell you this:" the Doctor said around a mouth full of cake "Papua New Guinea surprises everyone in the shot put."

"...Really?" Hermione asked "You're joking, aren't you?" she laughed before she frowned "Doctor, are you serious or are you joking?"

"Wait and see!" he teased.

Fireworks exploded overhead as the Doctor, Hermione and Rose walked down the street, the Doctor and Hermione hand in hand out of Rose's view.

"You know what; they keep on trying to split us up, but they never ever will." Rose said, Hermione could her the underlying to the comment. It was Rose saying that she would keep fighting for the Doctor and Hermione knew Rose will end up disappointed and seriously hurt.

The Doctor looked at her, coming to a halt. "Never say never ever."

"Nah." Rose said with confidence "We'll always be okay, you and me." the Doctor was silent "Don't you reckon, Doctor?"

The Doctor looked skywards, reflecting for a moment, as though he sensed something. "Something in the air. Something coming."

"What?" Hermione asked him.

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose looked up at the sky, which was lit up with fireworks.

"A storm's approaching."

Rose glanced at him nervously and shivered and Hermione squeezed his hand.


	12. Chapter 11: Army of Ghosts

**Chapter 11: Army of Ghosts**

The TARDIS materialised in a children's play area. Rose stepped out holding a large red rucksack, which she slung onto her back. The Doctor and Hermione followed, and they set off towards the flats on the Powell Estate.

They made it to the flat and Rose walked straight in calling out to her mum "Mum, it's us! We're ba-ack!"

Jackie came hurrying around the corner to the front door smiling "Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone!" she said exasperated and pleased at the same time "You never use it!"

Rose grinned "Shut up, come here!" They threw their arms around each other.

"Oh, I love you!"

"I love you!"

"I love you so much!" Jackie then turned her sights on Hermione and pulled her into a hug "I love you, too!" The Doctor squeezed past them, trying to sidle off, but Jackie's spotted him and grabbed him "Oh no you don't. Come here!" She pulled him towards her and planted one on him, despite his weak protests and then she hugged him "Oh, you lovely big fella! Oh, you're all mine!"

"Just...just...just put me down!" he tried to speak over her.

"Yes, you are!" She kissed him again and then walked off, leaving the Doctor to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand, looking for all the world like a little boy with an over-affectionate mother. Hermione giggled earning a playful glare from him.

They joined Rose in the sitting room as she took off her rucksack and dumped it into Jackie's arms "I've got loads of washing for ya! And, I got you this!" She showed Jackie a tiny ornate bottle with a wide grin. "It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of um..." she turned to the Doctor "what's it called?" she asked as he flicked through the magazines which were lying on the table.

She saw those secret glances being passed between the Doctor and Hermione, but shook her head. She knew nothing was happening between them, the Doctor loved _her_. The only reason he kissed Hermione back was because he was too kind to push her away. She had just wished she got there first and done it.

"Bezoolium." He stated.

"Bezoolium." She nodded pushing her thoughts away, he would be completely hers soon, she knew it. "When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's gonna rain, when it's hot, it's gonna be sunny! You can use it to tell the weather!"

"I've got a surprise for you and all." Jackie said, not even blinking.

"Oh, I get her Bezoolium, she doesn't even say 'thanks'."

"Guess who's coming to visit? You're just in time, he'll be here at ten past! Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know."

"Oh go on, guess!"

"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me."

"It's your grandad." Jackie said pleased "Grandad Prentice. He's on his way. Any minute!" Rose and Hermione stared. "Right, cup of tea!" She disappeared into the kitchen. The two still stared after her as the Doctor appeared at their shoulders.

"She's gone mad." Rose said stunned.

"Tell me something new." he said staring after Jackie.

"Grandad Prentice, that's her dad. But he died like…erm…"

"Ten years ago." Hermione said.

"Oh my God. She's lost it." she stepped forward to address Jackie "Mum?" the three of them stepped through the kitchen doorway "What you just said about grandad..."

"Any second now." Jackie cut in.

"But...he passed away." Rose said gently "His heart gave out. Do you remember that?"

"Course I do!"

"...Then how can he come back?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" she checked her watch "Ten past. Here he comes." Right before their eyes, a figure stepped out of nowhere in the middle of kitchen. It was featureless, like a shadow, but definitely humanoid. It stood beside Jackie. "Here we are, then!" The Doctor, Hermione and Rose just stared, dumbstruck. "Dad...say hello to Rose and Hermione. Haven't they grown?"

The Doctor, Hermione and Rose just turned and burst out of the door and out of the block of flats at a run. They came to a halt, looking around.

"They're everywhere!" the Doctor muttered confused.

Sure enough, the ghosts were everywhere, standing around just like ordinary people. No one seemed to be remotely alarmed by their presence. A group of boys carried on with their ball game, just as normal.

Rose turned "Doctor, look out!"

A ghost walked right through the Doctor, causing him discomfort but no pain.

"They haven't got long." Jackie said joining them "Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade."

"What do you mean, shift?" Hermione asked frowning.

"Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?" the Doctor asked getting more confused.

"Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?" Jackie teased.

"But no one's running or screaming or freaking out or..." he said baffled as he looked about.

"Why should we?" she checked her watch "Here we go. Twelve minutes past." Jackie smiled at Rose and Hermione, biting her lip with anticipation.

The ghosts disappeared like they appeared and the Doctor glanced around, looking even more confused than he did before. The four of them turn and head back to the flats.

oOo

The Doctor was sat on the floor, between Hermione's legs, as she sat on the sofa, in front of Jackie's television. Jackie was sitting next to Hermione and Rose was perched on the arm. They were all watching a programme called "Ghostwatch".

"_On today's Ghostwatch, claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge."_ It cut to footage of the ghosts milling around Westminster Bridge. _"It's almost like a military display..."_

The Doctors brow furrowed "What the hell's going on?" he muttered and he changed the channel to what would appear to be a weather report, but instead of weather symbols, there were little pictures of ghosts on the map of the UK.

"_And tonight we're expecting very strong ghosts."_ The weatherman said _"From London, through the North and up into Scotland."_

The channel turned over to the Trisha Goddard chat show. The caption at the bottom of the screen proclaims 'I married a dead man!'

"_So basically, Eileen, what you're telling me is, that you are in love with a ghost."_ Trisha stated.

Eileen was sat in front of the studio audience with a ghost hovering around by the other chair. _"He's my ghost and I love him, 24/7!"_ Eileen said tearfully and she received an encouraging round of applause from the audience.

The channel changed again _"Well, no one needs me anymore!"_ Derek Acorah shouted.

The channel changed. This time, it was a cheesy advert, a housewife in a flowery apron addressed the camera in her kitchen while a sad-looking animated ghost hovered around above the worktop.

"_My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered...Ectoshine!"_ the Housewife called. With an expression of complete bewilderment, the Doctor turned it over.

Now we're on a French news channel _"Et le President d'aujourd'hui, quelle est..."_ it cut to footage of the ghosts wandering around the Eiffel Tower.

The channel changed an Indian news report. Ghosts were milling around the Taj Mahal. Channel changed to an enthusiastic Japanese Newsreader. The Doctor put his head in his hands and Hermione reached over and ran her fingers threw his hair to calm him.

It cuts to footage of three excited Japanese girls, all screeching wildly and showing off their ghost tee-shirts.

"It's all over the world." The Doctor said as he kept changing the channel. An episode of EastEnders came on.

Peggy Mitchell was behind the bar of the Vic, having a go at a ghost. _"Listen to me, Denn Watts. I don't care if you have come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky and vodka. So, you heard me, get out!"_

The Doctor had had enough. He switched off the TV and turned to Jackie. "When did it start?" he asked her.

"Well first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down..." Jackie began.

"No, I mean worldwide."

"Oh! That was about two months ago." Jackie told them "Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were, ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that, whole planet was panicking...no sign of you, thank you very much...then it sort of sank in. Took us time to realise that...we're lucky."

"What makes you think it's grandad?" Rose asked her mum.

"Just feels like him. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?"

"I wish I could, mum, but I can't." Rose told her gently.

"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart."

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets?" the Doctor guessed.

"Sort of, yeah."

"Like a psychic link." Hermione said.

"Course you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in." the Doctor said.

"You're spoiling it." Jackie warned him.

"Aunt Jackie, these aren't ghost." Hermione told her softly "I've seen ghost, real ones and these ones you see aren't them."

"I'm sorry, Jackie, but there's no smell, there's no cigarettes." The Doctor said "Just a memory."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they, then?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, but they're human!" Jackie cried "You can see them, they look human!"

"She's got a point. I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."

The Doctor looked thoughtful "Maybe not. They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot."

And with that, he stood.

oOo

Rose strode into the TARDIS holding a newspaper, she walked to where the Doctor was as usual, wedged under the console, and Hermione stood by his feet.

"According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds." She peered down at him "Now don't tell me you're gonna sit back and do nothing." The Doctor suddenly popped up from underneath the grilling, bopping insanely and accompanied by the tune of Ghostbusters. He was holding an odd looking device in one hand and wearing a rucksack.

"Who're you gonna call?" The Doctor asked.

"Ghostbusters!" Rose called grinning.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts." Hermione just chuckled and followed him out of the TARDIS, Rose behind them giggling. Jackie was waiting for them outside. The Doctor arranged three cone devices in a triangle shape. "When's the next shift?" he asked Jackie.

Jackie checked his watch "Quarter to. But don't go causing trouble." She warned him "What's that lot do?"

"Triangulates their point of origin."

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Rose asked thoughtfully.

"Nah." He shook his head "They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."

"You're always doing this." Jackie said crossly "Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real?" the Doctor ignored her "Just think of it, though...all the people we've lost, our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"

The Doctor paused in his work, meeting her eyes for the first time.

"I think it's horrific." Jackie looked mildly shocked. "Rose, give us a hand." He started unwinding a cable, leading it though into the TARDIS, Rose turned to follow shooting a smug look to Hermione who just rolled her eyes and held up her wand and smirked making Rose's smugness fall, realising that Hermione could stay out there and use her magic to scan the ghost.

"Does she know that you and the Doctor are together?" Jackie suddenly asked Hermione as Rose disappeared into the TARDIS.

Hermione's head snapped to Jackie "Of course you worked it out." Hermione mumbled "No, we want her to get used to how close we are first, but it's not working…" she sighed.

"After he's done his science stuff, tell her. I'll be there for the fall out, I won't let her get away with any harsh words towards you. You're my family as well." She placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder "Everything will be fine." She then walked into the TARDIS

A few minutes later the Doctor came out and walked over to the cones and pressed the device he was holding earlier onto one of the cones. He proceeded to do the same to the other two, shouting through the open doors to Rose. "What's the line doing?"

"It's all right, it's holding!" Rose yelled back.

"Jackie said we could tell Rose about us with her there to buffer the aftershock." Hermione told him quietly as they waited for the ghost to appear.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think it's the only option we have now." She shrugged "She's still head over heels for you, she'll never get used to us."

The Doctor nodded "We'll do that." He then called out to Rose for an update "Rose?"

"The scanner's working, it says 'delta one six'." Rose shouted.

The Doctor stood, facing the centre of the triangle. "Come on you beauty!" He laughed, positively jiggling with anticipation.

As the Doctor and Hermione watched the triangle, a ghost materialised in its centre. As it did so, the cones were connected with blue electricity, which in turn connected over the top of the ghost, encompassing it in a kind of electric blue pyramid. The Doctor put on a pair of what looked like 3D spectacles and watched the ghost. Hermione waved her wand to scan the ghost but frowned when nothing came back.

The Doctor bent down and adjusted a setting on his equipment, a green light blipped. The Doctor continued to adjust the knob and the ghost started to shudder and groan. The Doctor laughed "Don't like that much, do you?" he laughed under his breath "Who are you? Where are you coming from?" he received what looked like an electric shock "Whoa!" He stumbled backwards. Then a triumphant look came to his face "That's more like it! Not so friendly now, are you?" he asked.

The ghost continued to shudder and jerk within the Doctors triangle. The ghost suddenly disappeared and the Doctor and Hermione immediately darted forward and began gathering up the equipment. They turned and disappeared inside the TARDIS with his equipment tucked under his arm.

The Doctor dashed to the railing inside the TARDIS, throwing his coat over it. "I said so!" he said excitedly "Those ghosts have been forced into existence for one specific point! And I can track down the source. Allons-y!" he called pulling down a lever. The TARDIS shuddered and he, Hermione and Rose fell backwards onto the chair. The rotor started to rise and fall.

'_That word suits you. You should use it more.'_ Hermione told him.

He grinned and stood to twiddle with the knobs on the console and started nattering away to himself "I like that. 'Allons-y'. I should say 'allons-y' more often. 'Allons-y'. Watch out, Rose Tyler! Allons-y! Let's go, Hermione! Allons-y" Hermione just smiled amused "And then, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Allonzo. Because then I could say, 'allons-y, Allonzo!' Every time! You're staring at me." Rose had been listening to the Doctor rattle off with a strange smile on her face.

"My mum's still on board." She told him quietly, Hermione's head snapped to Jackie and she smiled amused at the look on her face.

"If we end up on Mars, I'm gonna kill you." Jackie said folding her arms. The Doctor stared at her, horrified as Hermione tried to stop the laugh bubbling up in her.

oOo

They were all stood around the computer after the TARDIS had reached its destination. They all watched as soldiers burst through the doors, holding guns shouting and getting into their positions.

"Torchwood." Hermione mumbled.

"What?"

"My people started looking into that weapon that destroyed the Sycorax ship. Found out it was used by an organisation called Torchwood." She told him "We've been wanting to talk to them, but we couldn't risk the safety of our people."

He nodded "Oh, well there goes the advantage of surprise." The Doctor pouted. "Still! Cuts to the chase." He turned to Rose as he grabbed Hermione's hand "Stay in here, look after Jackie."

They make towards the doors, Rose trailing behind. "I'm not looking after my mum!"

"Well, you brought her!"

"I was kidnapped!" Jackie shouted indignantly.

Rose pushed past them and blocked the doorway, not understanding why Hermione got to go and she didn't. "Doctor, they've got guns." She warned.

"And I haven't. Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" He caught her round the waist and moved her smoothly out of the way. "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high-ground is mine."

"I've got my magic also." Hermione said stepping past Rose and to the Doctors side.

And with that, the Doctor opened the door and they stepped through it. The Doctor and Hermione raised their hands as the soldiers released the safety catches on their guns, every single one was pointed at the Doctor as he pulled Hermione behind him. A woman dressed in black hurried into the room, running towards them.

"Oh...! Oh, how marvellous." The woman clapped "Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!" The soldiers followed suit, applauding him. The Doctor looked round confused not quite know what to make of this reception. He and Hermione lowered their hands tentatively.

"Um. Thanks." He replied "Nice to meet you. I'm...the Doctor."

That set them off clapping again. "Oh, I should say! Hurray!"

"You...you've heard of me, then?"

Hermione snorted and answered his question before the woman could "Of course they have. If it wasn't for you, none of them would be here."

"How?" the woman asked her.

"I am Hermione, Hermione Granger."

The woman's eyes widened at the name and she paled slightly, those freaks knew about them damn! She continued trying to compose herself "The Doctor and the TARDIS...!" she started the applause again.

The Doctor, clearly enjoying this, gestured for silence. "And...and...and you are?" he asked her.

"Oh, plenty of time for that." The woman waved him off "But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone." She glanced at Hermione, she wasn't the one that was described from Queen Victoria's account of the Doctor, and so there must be another "The Doctor and his companion. That's a pattern isn't it, right?" The Doctor stared at her. Her voice turned slightly sinister "There's no point hiding anything. Not from us." She smiled "So where is she?

"...Yes! Sorry." He replied "Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all." He opened the TARDIS door just a tiny bit more, feeling around before he pulled Jackie out. "But here she is: Rose Tyler." The Doctor looked Jackie up and down. "Hmm. She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that." He mimed chatting and Jackie glared at him. "And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years. But she'll do."

"I'm 40!" Jackie shouted.

Hermione just watched on amused "Deluded." The Doctor sighed "Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well. I say not bad. Anyway…" he trailed off getting back on track "Lead on. But not too fast. Her ankle's going."

The woman turned to lead the way and the Doctor, Hermione and Jackie followed.

"I'll show you where my ankle's going." Jackie hissed making Hermione burst out laughing.

'_You deserved that one.'_ she teased.

'_Did not!'_ he playfully gasped offended.

oOo

The woman led them through a doorway "It was only a matter of time until you found us. And at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Doctor." She pushed a door open into a huge factory "Welcome..." the factory was full of alien artefacts and scientists working on them. "To Torchwood."

"That's a Jathar Sunglider." The Doctor said staring in awe at the spaceship.

"Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands ten years ago."

"What, did it crash?" Hermione asked.

"No, we shot it down. It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare." She told them "The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us!"

"Oh I know, Harriet was very lose lipped once my Minister got to her." Hermione told her.

The woman looked shocked before she turned and led them on. "Now if you'd like to come with me." Jackie shared an incredulous glance with the Doctor and Hermione "The Torchwood Institute has a motto: 'if it's alien, it's ours'. Anything that comes from the sky, we strip it down, and we use it. For the good of the British Empire."

"For the good of the what?" Jackie asked.

"The British Empire."

"There isn't a British Empire."

"Not yet. Ah, excuse me..." She took a weapon off a soldier. "Now, if you wouldn't mind...do you recognise this, Doctor?"

"That's a particle gun." He answered.

"Good, isn't it?" Jackie tried to touch it, but the woman wrenched it from her grasp and ignored the interruption. "Took us eight years to get it to work..."

"It's the twenty-first century. You can't have particle guns."

"We must defend our border against the alien." She handed the particle gun back to the waiting soldier. "Thank you...Sebastian, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am." The solider replied.

She smiled "Thank you, Sebastian." She turned back to the Doctor, Hermione and Jackie "I think it's very important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days." She smiled smugly "I'm a people person." Jackie rolled her eyes and Hermione snorted quietly.

"Have you got anyone called Allonzo?" the Doctor asked.

"No, I don't think so. Is that important?"

"I suppose not. What was your name?" He walked off to examine the other artefacts.

"Yvonne." She introduced properly "Yvonne Hartman." The Doctor pulled a large device from a box. "Ah yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric."

The Doctor threw the Magnaclamp back in the box and brushed his hands together.

"I could do with that to carry the shopping." Jackie joked.

"All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit." Yvonne told Jackie in a patronising tone "Not the general publics."

"What was that about being a people person?" Hermione asked her before she stepped towards the Doctor who was looking through a magnifying glass.

"So, what about these ghosts?" The Doctor asked.

"They're not ghosts." Hermione mumbled.

"As yes, the ghosts. They're er...what you might call a side effect." Yvonne replied.

"Of what?" the Doctor pushed.

"All in good time, Doctor. There is an itinerary, trust me."

Just then, the TARDIS was driven in on the back of a truck.

"Oi!" Jackie cried "Where're you taking that?"

"'If it's alien, it's ours.'"

"You'll never get inside it." the Doctor commented lightly.

"Hm!" Yvonne hummed, not bothered by the challenge "Et cetera." She walked away.

The Doctor and Hermione watched the TARDIS as Rose opened the door a crack and peeked through it. The Doctor nodded encouragingly and looked away.

oOo

Yvonne, the Doctor, Hermione and Jackie strode down a corridor, flanked by armed soldiers.

"All those times I've been on Earth, I've never heard of you." The Doctor said to Yvonne.

"But of course not. You're the enemy." Yvonne explained, she opened her mouth to continue but Hermione beat her to it.

"You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown." Hermione smirked. Yvonne just looked stunned at how much Hermione knew.

"1879...that was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland." The Doctor said.

"That's right." Yvonne nodded "Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf."

"Not a werewolf." Hermione mumbled.

"I think he makes half of it up." Jackie commented.

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great." Yvonne continued to explain "And fighting the alien horde."

"But if I'm the enemy, does that mean that I'm a prisoner?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh yes." She replied lightly. They rounded a corner and found themselves outside a large black door. "But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this." She pressed her ID card against a digital lock, and opened the door. They walked into the chamber where there was a sphere housed. "Now, what do you make of that?"

Noticing their arrival, an Indian man straightened his jacket and approached the Doctor, who was gazing open mouthed up at the sphere. Hermione shifted slightly as she stared at it getting a strange feeling.

"You must be the Doctor. Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir." He held out his hand, but the Doctor was too immersed in gazing up at the sphere to notice.

"Yeah..." the Doctor said vaguely. Rajesh lowered his hand sheepishly.

"This is Hermione Granger." Yvonne pointed out to Rajesh.

His head snapped to Hermione "The witch?"

"Nice to meet you." Hermione muttered staring at the sphere still.

"What is that thing?" Jackie asked.

"We got no idea." Yvonne admitted.

"But what's wrong with it?"

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh asked.

"I dunno...just feels weird."

The Doctor darted forward and up the steps leading up to the sphere. Hermione followed him slowly but stopped at the bottom of the steps, not really wanting to get closer to it.

"Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone." Yvonne commented "Makes you wanna run and hide. Like it's forbidden."

"We tried analysing it using every device imaginable." Rajesh stated as the Doctor put on his 3D specs, looking up at the sphere through them. "But, according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing. It doesn't age. No heat. No radiation. And, has no atomic mass."

"But I can see it!" Jackie exclaimed.

"Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off...nothing. It is...absent."

"Well, Doctor?" Yvonne asked.

"This is a Void Ship." The Doctor replied.

"And what is that?"

The Doctor folded away his 3D specs "Well, it's impossible for starters. I always thought it was just a theory, but...it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space. Travelling through the Void." He sat down on the bottom step, Yvonne and Rajesh crowding him.

"And what's 'the Void'?" Rajesh asked.

"The space between dimensions." Hermione stated remembering what the Doctor told her when they had crossed over to the Parallel world.

"There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other." The Doctor told them "The Void is the space in-between. Containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that, nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down. No life. No time. Without end. My people called it the Void, the Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell."

"But someone built the sphere." Rajesh commented "What for? Why go there?"

"To explore. To escape. You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang...end of the universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation."

"You see, we were right." Yvonne said smugly to Rajesh "There is something inside it."

"Oh yes." The Doctor told her seriously.

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked.

"We don't!" the Doctor suddenly stood "We send that thing back into Hell. How did it get here in the first place?"

"Well, that's how it all started." Yvonne said "The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake."

"Show me." he went to stride off pulling Hermione with him but Hermione stopped him. Everyone looked to her and she looked to Yvonne.

"I could do a deeper scan, maybe find out what is actually in there without it needing to be opened." She offered. Yvonne looked hesitant "You'll never get this offer to use magic for something ever again. This is your one chance."

Yvonne nodded and went to talk silently to Rajesh.

The Doctor walked towards Hermione "What are you doing?" he asked.

"You want them to get rid of it, I'll find out what's in it and make them." he looked hesitant and Hermione kissed the corner of his mouth "I'll be fine, keep an eye on Aunt Jackie." He grumbled but nodded. "I'll keep in contact." She whispered tapping her temple.

He sighed and kissed her forehead before he strode off "Let's go!" he called.

Yvonne exchanges a look with Rajesh, and followed, The Doctor exited and turned left.

"No, Doctor" Yvonne called making him turn right.

Jackie slowly left sending a concerned and worried look at Hermione over her shoulder. Hermione just waved before she turned to the sphere and started her scans.

oOo

The door to the room opened and Hermione glanced over, her eyes widened when she saw Mickey Smith entering. When Mickey saw her his eyes widened also before he gestured for her to be quiet. She just nodded and she walked over to Rajesh to give him the results of her basic scans before she performed deeper ones. The door opened again and Hermione had to hold back her groan when she saw Rose enter. Rose walked slowly into the room staring hypnotised by the sphere.

Rajesh spotted her and approached. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"I was just..." Rose began not looking away from the sphere.

"Try not to look. It does that to everyone. What do you want?"

"Sorry. Um...they sent me from personnel. They said some man had been taken prisoner. Some sort of Doctor? I'm just...checking the lines of communication, did they tell you anything?"

"Can I see your authorisation?"

"...Sure." Rose handed him the psychic paper. As he checked it, Rose spotted Hermione and held back her groan. Of course she had to be here, she couldn't just let her have one moment to impress the Doctor.

"That's lucky." Rajesh said looking up from the psychic paper making Rose smile. "You see, everyone at Torchwood has at least a basic level of psychic training." Rose's smile faded "This paper is blank. And you're a fake." He spoke into his comm. "Seal the room. Call security." The doors closed "Samuel? Can you check the door locks? She just walked right in."

Samuel turned showing Rose it was actually Mickey "Doing it now, sir." Rose stared at him and he put a finger to his lips and gave her the thumbs up, grinning.

"Well. If you'd like to take a seat." Rajesh gestured and Rose nodded, seemingly lost for words. Rajesh looked to Hermione only to find her scanning the sphere again and decided not to distract her and he moved to the computer to use the webcam "Yvonne?" he called "I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor and Hermione."

"She one of yours?" Hermione heard Yvonne ask as she turned from her scan to watch what might happen.

"Never seen her before in my life." She heard the Doctor reply.

"Good! Then we can have her shot."

"Oh all right then, it'll be worth a try. That's...that's Rose Tyler."

"Sorry." Rose waved "Hello!"

The Doctor waved back and Hermione smiled at him when she came to stand behind Rose and Rajesh.

'_Keep an eye on her.'_ She heard in her mind.

'_I will.'_ She nodded for him to see.

"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?" Yvonne asked.

"I'm her mother." Jackie said proudly.

"Oh, you travel with her mother?"

"He kidnapped me." Jackie commented making Hermione chuckle quietly.

"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with her mother..." the Doctor pleaded.

"Charming."

"I've got a reputation to uphold!"

The sound of the ghost shift engines starting up was heard. Yvonne stood from the computer and called. "Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift." There was no reply. "Who started the program? But...I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?! Step away from the monitors, everyone." There was silence again as the three listened to what was happening through the computer "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, right now! Matt. Step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers! Stop the levers!"

"Yvonne, I thought you said the next Ghost Shift was cancelled." Rajesh called into his comm. "What's going on?" there was no reply "Yvonne?" The whole chamber suddenly shuddered; the disturbance coming from the sphere. "It can't be." He, Hermione, Rose and Mickey hurried over to it as another crash came from within. "It's active!" he whispered.

Rajesh called into the comm. again "We've got a problem down here. Yvonne, can you hear me?" the sphere started to vibrate "The sphere is vibrating. Yvonne, for God's sake, the sphere is active!" he called frantic "The readings are going wild! It's got weight, it's got mass, an electromagnetic field, it exists!" He jumped and turned around to a crash behind him, the door closing. "The doors sealed. Automatic quarantine, we can't get out!" He rushed off.

Hermione, Rose and Mickey were left looking up at the sphere. Hermione quickly scanning, getting the same thing Rajesh had.

"It's all right, babe." Mickey said to Rose "We beat them before, we can beat them again. That's why I'm here. The fight goes on."

The sphere continued to vibrate.

"The fight against what?" Rose asked him.

"What d'you think?" the three of them stumbled as two violent crashes emitted from the sphere, shaking the chamber. Another crash emitted from the sphere. "We had them beaten, but then they escaped. The Cybermen just vanished." There was another crash "They found a way through to this world, but, so did we."

Hermione stared at him shocked "That's impossible. The Doctor said that was impossible."

"Yeah, well it's not the first time he's been wrong."

"What's inside that sphere?" Rose asked as there was another crash.

"No one knows." Mickey shrugged "Cyber Leader, Cyber King, Emperor of the Cybermen...whatever it is..." he grinned "He's dead meat."

Rose smiled and nudged him "It's good to see you."

He smiled back "Yeah. It's good to see you too. Both of you."

Another crash sounded.

"Can anyone hear me?" Rajesh called into the comm. again "Come on, I need help down here!" The entire chamber was shaking accompanied by booms from the sphere. "I need..." The sphere stopped vibrating and Rajesh joined Hermione, Mickey and Rose.

Mickey removed his lab coat and pulled of his ear piece. "Here we go." He said. Rajesh put his glasses on. As they watched, smooth cracks appeared in the sphere as it opened. Light spilled from the gaps "I know what's in there. And I'm ready for them. I've got just the thing." Mickey retrieved a weapon that he had been hiding under a counter, and then positioned himself in front of the sphere. "This is gonna blast them to Hell."

"Samuel, what are you doing?!" Rajesh asked shocked.

"The name's Mickey. Mickey Smith. Defending the Earth." He cocked his gun as the sphere parted further. The top part of an alien emerged from the sphere. "That's not Cybermen..."

Hermione's eyes widened as she recognised the aliens from the books she had read on them. Four Daleks glided smoothly from the sphere towards them.

"Oh my God." Rose breathed.

"Location: Earth. Life forms detected." The Dalek stated "Exterminate!" Mickey aimed his gun at them as Hermione and Rose stared at them in wide eyed with fear.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! EXTERMINATE!"


	13. Chapter 12: Doomsday

**Chapter 12: Doomsday**

The Daleks advanced upon Rose, Hermione Mickey and Rajesh still crying 'exterminate!'. Rose watched shocked before she pulled forward her courage, this was defiantly her chance to prove her worth to the Doctor. To prove she could save the day and do anything. If she stopped the Daleks again, he would know that she was the better choice. And if Hermione was hurt by a Dalek along the way, then so be it.

"Daleks!" Rose shouted and the Daleks fell silent, taken aback. "You're called 'Daleks'." The Daleks didn't respond, seeming to simply observe her. Rose walked slowly towards them. "I know your name." she took off the lab coat she had put on before coming into the chamber "Think about it: how can I know that? A Human...who knows about the Daleks. And the Time War. If you wanna know how, then keep us alive. That's all I'm asking. Me and my friends."

"Yeah, Daleks." Mickey nodded "Time War. Me too."

The Dalek's eye piece swivelled around to look at Mickey.

"Yeah. And me." Rajesh said.

The Daleks eye piece moved to Hermione as she looked at them curiously as she worked out who they were "The Cult of Skaro." She stated, remembering reading about them "That's who you are: Sek," she looked at the black Dalek before turning her gaze to the other three "Thay, Jast and Caan."

The Daleks all stared at Hermione silently as Rose and Mickey looked at Hermione shocked, Rose more annoyed than shocked that Hermione even had this over her.

"You will be necessary." Sek said to her before turning to one of the other Daleks "Report: what is the status of the Genesis Ark?"

"Status: hibernation." The Dalek reported.

"Commence awakening."

"The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else." Another Dalek called as it turned to what the others guessed was the Genesis Ark, which had also emerged from the sphere. The Dalek clamped its suction arm to the side of the Ark.

Mickey turned to Rose, his gun still aimed at the Daleks "The Daleks, you said they were all dead."

"Never mind that, what the hell's a Genesis Ark?" Rose asked.

"Which of you is least important?" Sek asked moving towards them.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Which of you is least important?" he repeated.

Rose was tempted to say Hermione, but she knew Mickey would fight that. She opened her mouth to reply.

"No, we don't work like that. None of us." Hermione snapped more to Rose than the Dalek seeing Rose's eye glance at her at the Daleks question.

"Designate the least important!"

"This is my responsibility." Rajesh told them.

Rose held him back "No, don't!"

Rajesh ignored her and stood before the Dalek dejectedly. "I…er…I represent the Torchwood Institute. Anything you need, you...come through me. Leave these three alone."

"You will kneel." Sek ordered.

"What for?"

"Kneel." Rajesh kneeled as he was surrounded by the Daleks all directing their eye stalks onto him. "The Daleks need information about current Earth history."

"Yeah well I can give you a certain amount of intelligence but nothing that will compromise Home Land security..."

"Speech is not necessary. We will extract brainwaves." The three Daleks advanced upon Rajesh and positioned their suction arms around his head. Rajesh was now showing the first signs of fear.

"Don't...I...I'll tell you everything you need. No. No!" Rajesh shouted out in agony before the Daleks crushed his skull. Mickey made towards him but Hermione held him back, knowing it was already too late. The Daleks released Rajesh's blackened corpse and let it fall to the ground. "His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth infected by the superstition of ghosts." Sek told his comrades.

"You didn't need to kill him!" Rose shouted.

"Neither did we need him alive." A Dalek stated.

"Dalek Thay, investigate outside." Sek ordered.

"I obey." Thay replied and he left the sphere chamber.

"Establish visual contact. Lower communications barrier."

A projection appeared in the area previously occupied by the sphere, showing Dalek Thay's point of view as he came upon the two Cybermen.

"Identify yourselves." Thay ordered.

"You will identify first." The Cyberman replied.

"State your identity."

"You will identify first."

"Identify!"

"It's like Stephen Hawkins meets the Speaking Clock." Mickey joked.

"...illogical, you will modify." The Cyberman stated.

"Daleks do not take orders." Thay told them.

"You have identified as Daleks."

"Outline resembles the inferior species known as 'Cybermen'." Sek reported.

Hermione looked to Rose to see her answering her phone and sighed in relief that the Doctor was alive and safe. She had been trying to reach him through their link but something was blocking her.

"We must protect the Genesis Ark." A Dalek said moving towards the object.

"Our species our similar, though your design is inelegant." A Cyberman told Thay.

"Daleks have no concept of elegance." He replied.

"This is obvious. But consider, our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks, together, we could upgrade the Universe."

"You propose an alliance?"

"This is correct."

"Request denied."

The Cybermen immediately thrusted their fists out, ready to shoot. "Hostile elements will be deleted."

They shot at Thay, but the rays simply bounced off its armour. "Exterminate!" Thay called and fired at the Cybermen both collapsing to the floor.

The image on the projection changed to another Cyberman. "Daleks, be warned: you have declared war upon the Cybermen." It addressed.

"This is not war. This is pest control." Sek stated.

"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?"

"Four."

"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?!"

"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek." Sek replied "You are superior in only one respect."

"What is that?"

"You are better at dying. Raise communications barrier!"

The screen went static.

"Wait!" a Dalek called "Rewind image by nine rels." The Doctor was in frame in the background. "Identify grid seven gamma frame." They zoomed in on the Doctor. "This male registers as enemy." Hermione and Rose beamed.

Sek turned to them "Both female's heartbeats have increased."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Mickey mumbled.

"Identify him."

"All right then..." Rose smirked "if you really wanna know...that's the Doctor. The Daleks rolled backwards sharply. "Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor? Now you're scared."

Dalek Thay entered the chamber. "Cyber threat irrelevant. Concentrate on the Genesis Ark."

Sek pressed its suction arm to the side of the Genesis Ark.

Mickey turned to Hermione and Rose "Why are we being kept alive?"

"They might need me." she said after a pause.

"What? What is it?" Rose just stared at the Daleks, fear in her eyes. Whilst the Daleks were crowded around the Genesis Ark, Mickey showed Hermione and Rose his yellow button. "I could transport out of here, but it only carries one and I'm not leaving you. Either of you."

"You'd follow me anywhere. What did I do to you all those years ago?"

"Guess I'm just stupid." He mumbled.

"You're not stupid." Hermione told him firmly.

Rose squeezed his hand "You're the bravest man I've ever met."

"What about the Doctor?" Mickey asked.

"Oh, all right. Bravest Human." They smiled.

"Well, I can't think what the Daleks need with me. I'm nothing to them."

"You could be..." Rose muttered "Whatever's inside that Ark is waking up and I've seen this happen before. The first time I saw a Dalek, it was broken. It was dying. But I touched it. The moment I did that...I brought it back to life." She kept her voice low as Hermione kept her eyes on the Daleks "As the Doctor said...when you travel in time in the TARDIS, you soak up all this...um...

"…background radiation." Hermione reminded her "It's harmless, it's just there. But in the Time War, the Daleks evolved so they could use it as a power supply."

Mickey gazed at them, Rose more than Hermione "I love it when you talk technical."

"Shut up." Rose smiled.

"If the Daleks have got something inside that thing that needs waking up..." Hermione began.

"They need both of you." Mickey said.

"All of us, you've travelled in time too." Hermione reminded him.

"But why would they build something they can't open themselves?" he asked.

"The technology is stolen." Sek cut in "The Ark is not of Dalek design."

"Then who built it?" Rose asked.

"The Time Lords. This is all that survives of their Home World."

The four Daleks shuffled around the Ark.

"What's inside?" Hermione asked already having a clue due to the shape and the fact they couldn't open it themselves.

"The future."

Hermione and Rose stared at the Ark and the surrounding Daleks with fearful apprehension. The Daleks backed away from the Genesis Ark.

"Final stage of awakening." One of the Daleks called.

Sek looked to the three of them "Your handprint will open the Ark."

"Well tough, 'cos I'm not doing it." Rose said.

"Obey or the male and female will die." A Dalek said aiming at Hermione and Mickey.

Rose immediately moved towards the Ark "I can't let them."

"Rose, don't." Mickey called.

"You open that we'll die anyway." Hermione told her.

"Place your hand upon the casket." Sek ordered.

"All right!" Rose said violently and she turned to the Ark "You're gonna kill us anyway, so what the hell?" she said playing for time, knowing the Doctor will save her. She turned back to Sek and stood right in front of it. "If you um...escaped the Time War...don't you want to know what happened?"

"Place your hand..." Sek began.

"What happened to the Emperor?"

"The Emperor survived."

"'Til he met me..." Rose smirked "'cos if these are gonna be my last words, then you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor. And I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get that? The God of all Daleks...and I destroyed him." She gave the Dalek a gloating smile, and laughed making Hermione roll her eyes at Rose's stupid move.

"You will be exterminated!" Sek said furiously.

"Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." The Doctor called from the doorway.

"Alert, alert, you are the Doctor." Hermione and Rose smiled delight as the Doctor saunters into the room wearing his 3D specs.

'_Hello handsome.'_ She beamed.

'_Hello gorgeous.'_ He replied staring at her.

"Sensors report he is unarmed." A Dalek called.

"That's me." the Doctor said lightly "Always."

"Then you are powerless." Sek stated.

"Not me." he took his 3D specs of with a "Never." He turned to Hermione "How are you?"

Hermione smiled "I'm great."

"Great!" He then turned to Rose "And you?"

"Oh, same old, you know." She grinned.

"Good! And Mickity-McMickey!" they bashed fists "Nice to see ya!"

"And you, boss." Mickey gave him a nod.

"Social interaction will cease!" a Dalek demanded.

"How did you survive the Time War?" Sek asked.

"By fighting." The Doctor replied "On the front line." Mickey turned, as if this was the first time he had heard of this. "I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot, ran away!"

"We had to survive."

"The last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about you?"

"There the Cult of Skaro, they…" Hermione started to tell him.

"Doctor, they've got names. And Daleks don't have names, do they? One of them said they..." Rose cut in, wanting to impress the Doctor with what she found out.

"I am Dalek Thay."

"Dalek Sek."

"Dalek Jast."

"Dalek Caan."

"So that's it! I thought you were just a legend." The Doctor said delighted.

"Who are they?" Rose asked.

The Doctor strolled around them "A secret order. Above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names." A distasteful expression took over his face "All to find new ways of killing."

"But that thing, they said it was yours." Mickey gestured to the Ark "I mean, Time Lords. They built it. What does it do?"

The Doctor glanced at it "I don't know. Never seen it before."

"But it's...Time Lord." Rose said.

"Both sides had secrets." He turned to the Daleks "What is it? What have you done?"

"Time Lord Science will restore Dalek supremacy." Sek stated.

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked "What sort of Time Lord Science? What do you mean?"

"They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up." Hermione told him.

"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch. Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything...ever...from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage." His voice turns to a whisper "Completely alone. And that explains your voice. No wonder you scream."

"The Doctor will open the Ark!" Sek ordered.

The Doctor laughed contemptuously. "The Doctor will not."

"You have no way of resisting."

"Well...you got me there. Although...there is always this." He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.

"A sonic probe?"

"That's 'screwdriver'."

"It is harmless." Sek stated scornfully.

"Oh yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do, it is very good at opening doors." He activated the screwdriver, and immediately, the doors exploded inwards. Jake, his men, and the Cybermen leaped into action, firing their guns at the Daleks.

"Delete! Delete! Delete! Delete!" a Cyberman called.

"Alert! Casing impact, casing impact!" a Dalek called as the Doctor, Hermione and Rose flung themselves to the ground, trying to avoid the guns.

"Hermione, Rose, get out!" Hermione and Rose made towards the door but Rose stumbled backwards pulling Hermione with her.

"Fire power insufficient! Fire power insufficient!" Sek called.

Pete helped Rose to her feet, a surprised expression on her face at seeing him there but obviously there was no time for him to explain. Hermione made to stand and follow when someone grabbed her hand, she looked up into a pair of brown eyes that she saw every time she looked in the mirror. It was her parallel self. They made for the door as Mickey picked up a gun and started firing anywhere.

"Daleks will be deleted. Delete! Delete!" A Cyberman called as the Doctor managed to reach Hermione, her parallel self, Rose and Pete where they stood in the doorway, out of harm's way."

"Mickey, come on!" Rose yelled.

"Adapt to weaponry!" a Dalek called.

"Fire power restored!" Sek called. The Dalek fired once at a Cyberman, immediately destroying it. Jake managed to reach the door, but Mickey lost his footing and accidentally placed his hand upon the Genesis Ark, leaving a red hot mark there. He dashed for the door. "Cybermen primary target." Mickey winced in pain as he looked at his hand. The rest of Jake's men managed to slip through the door before it closed, sealing both the Daleks and the Cybermen inside.

"Jake, check the stairwell." The Doctor called "The rest of you, come on!"

Mickey, Rose, Hermione and the Doctor were running down a corridor. "I just fell, I didn't mean it!" Mickey said taking about the Ark.

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favour!" he kissed the top of Mickey's head "Now, run!"

oOo

Jackie was running down a corridor as she glanced behind her. As she turned back she yelped as she came face to face with two Cybermen in front of her.

"You will be upgraded." One stated.

Jackie whimpered "No, but you can't! Please..." The Cybermen was shot from behind and both fell to the ground, dead, to reveal Pete aiming a gun behind them. He was accompanied by the Doctor, Hermione, Parallel Hermione, Rose and Mickey. Jackie squinted through the smoke clouding him, uncomprehending, then her eyes widened as she realised who saved her. "Pete!"

"Hello, Jacks." he smiled.

"I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair. Why him?"

"I'm not a ghost."

"But you're dead. You died twenty years ago, Pete."

The Doctor took a tentative step forward to explain "It's Pete from a different Universe. There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where..."

"Oh, you can shut up." Jackie cut in. The Doctor nodded stepping back into the background and Hermione smiled taking his hand, not noticing her parallel self smiling at the action. Pete smiled at Jackie "Oh...you look old." She said gazing at Pete.

"You don't." he replied.

"How can you be standing there?"

"Just got lucky...lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or...?"

"There was never anyone else." She answered quietly. The Doctor and Mickey smirked and Hermione smiled. "Twenty years, though. Look at me, I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"Brought her up. Rose Tyler. That's not bad."

"Yeah." Jackie whispered.

"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine." He told her "They worked. Made me rich."

"I don't care about that." She shook her head before she paused "How rich?"

"Very."

"I don't care about that. How very?"

Pete laughed and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Thing is though, Jacks, you're...you're not my wife. I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both..." Jackie nodded and Pete looked at her, fighting it. "You know, it's just sort of..." he gave up the fight and started towards her "Oh, come here." They ran to meet each other, Jackie starting to cry. He swept her off the ground in a huge hug.

oOo

The Doctor opened the door to where a battle between the Cybermen and the Daleks was taking place, peering into the lab, waiting for the right moment to enter. He dived into the room, watched anxiously by Hermione who winced every time a beam passed near him. The Doctor picked up two of the magnaclamps, using them to deflect the rays from himself. He rushed back towards the door with them, dodging the beams, but he tripped over a Cybermans body.

'_Come on, Theta._' Hermione called to him worriedly.

The Doctor quickly got to his feet and slipped through the door to safety. Hermione closed it after him. After a few moments, he opened it again, and peered around looking through his 3D specs.

"Override roof mechanism." Sek ordered. The roof began to open slowly. "El-ev-ate."

"What're they doing?" Rose asked popping her head out, not happy that the Parallel Hermione had stopped her following the Doctor the first time "Why'd they need to get outside?!"

"Time Lord Science..." he murmured baffled "What Time Lord science?" he took the specs off "What is it?" Sek elevated through the ceiling into the open air with the Ark. The Doctor shut the door and ran back down the corridor, shouting to the others as he went. "We've gotta see what it's doing, we've gotta go back up! Come on! All of you! Top floor!"

"That's forty-five floors up!" Jackie exclaimed "Believe me, I've done 'em all."

"We could always take the lift..." Jake smiled popping his head out.

They all climbed into the lift and started to head upwards in silence. The silence was broken by Jackie.

"It's weird seeing two Hermione's." she mumbled making everyone chuckle. "Are you both exactly the same? Or…"

"There similar." Mickey stated "But one has magic and the other doesn't…Oh and Parallel Hermione breaks the rules more and not as academically inclined she's more for sports."

"One of us had to be." Hermione shrugged "Although it would have helped me when Harry and Ron got going on Quidditch."

"What's Quidditch?" Parallel Hermione asked her.

Hermione sighed before she launched into what Quidditch was.

oOo

The Doctor and the others finally stepped out of the lift on the top floor and rushed to the window, the Doctor dumped the magnaclamps down on Yvonne's desk as he went. The Doctor stared in horror as the Genesis Ark spun, shooting Dalek after Dalek out. Squeezing Hermione's hand as she slipped her fingers through his.

'_We'll stop them, Theta. We'll stop them.'_ Hermione whispered.

"Time Lord Science...it's bigger on the inside." The Doctor breathed.

"Did Time Lords put those Daleks in there?" Mickey asked "What for?"

"It's a prison ship."

"How many Daleks?" Rose asked.

"Millions." He replied.

Pete turned and walked away from the window "I'm sorry, but you've had it. This world's gonna crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home." He turned to Jackie "Jacks, take this." He tossed her one of the yellow buttons.

"But they're destroying the City!" Jackie cried.

"I'd forgotten you could argue." He said fondly as he looped the button around her neck himself. "It's not just London, it's the whole world." He took her face in his hands, making her look at him. "But there's another world, just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe. As long as the Doctor closes the breach. Doctor?"

The Doctor turned from the window with his 3D specs on and a big grin. "Oh, I'm ready." He replied gleefully "I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood!" He dashed to a computer. "Slam it down and close off both universes."

"_Reboot systems."_ The computer stated.

"But we can't just leave." Rose said "What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen...?"

The Doctor stood "They're part of the problem. And that makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" Rose laughed nervously and Hermione smiled amused as he moved about already knowing his plan "Well?! Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?"

"What is it with the glasses?" Hermione drawled grinning.

"I can see! That's what! 'Cos we've got two separate worlds, but in-between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here! And you lot, one world to another, via the Void! Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" He pressed the glasses onto Rose's face. "I've been through it. Do you see?" He dodged about so Rose could see, with the aid of the glasses, that he was surrounded by floating green and red particles. She reached out to try and touch them.

"_Reboot in three minutes."_

"Void stuff." He grinned.

"Like um...background radiation!" Rose guessed.

"That's it. Look at the others." Rose turned to look at Jake, Mickey, Hermione, Parallel Hermione, Jackie and Pete. Jackie was the only one not surrounded by the 'Void Stuff'. The Doctor pointed to Jackie "The only one who hasn't been through the Void, your mother. First time she's looked normal in her life." Rose giggled.

"Oi!" Jackie called indignantly.

The Doctor dashed into the clear white area, Rose following quickly. "The Daleks lived inside the Void." Hermione moved to a desk and jumped up and sat on it "They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them. I just open the Void, end of verse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside." He explains enthusiastically.

"Pulling them all in." Rose said.

"Pulling them all in!" he laughed.

"Sorry...what's...what's the Void?" Mickey asked.

"The dead space." Hermione told him "Some people call it 'Hell'."

Mickey looped his button around his neck "So...you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell." He turned to Jake and Parallel Hermione "Man, I told you he was good."

"But it's...like you said, we've all got Void stuff." Rose said still looking around with the glasses "Me too, 'cos we went to that parallel world." She flexed her fingers, examining the particles floating around them. She pulled the glasses off as the Doctor stood before her. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in." she said to the Doctor.

"That's why you've gotta go." The Doctor told her.

"_Reboot in two minutes."_

Rose stared at him, uncomprehending.

"Back to Pete's world." He pointed at Pete "Hey, we should call it that: Pete's World." He turned back to Rose "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side." Rose just continued to stare at him.

"And then you close it. For good?" Pete asked.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void Stuff, in the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput."

Rose was just starting to realise what this meant "But you stay on this side...?"

"But you'll get pulled in." Mickey said.

The Doctor just held Rose's gaze for a moment before he ran over to the magnaclamps. Rose staying put, looking like she'd been slapped around the face.

"That's why...I got these. I'll just have to hold on tight, I've been doing it all my life."

"I'm supposed to go." Rose asked.

"Yeah." The Doctor replied as he handed Hermione a clamp.

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah." He looked to Hermione who just held her hand up to stop him.

"I can't go and you know it. There's no magic there, I'll just die slowly." She told him "And there's already a Hermione there." she nodded to her parallel self.

"So _she_ gets to stay?" Rose asked annoyed "And I leave? _Forever_." She laughed at the absurdity of the idea "That's _not_ gonna happen."

A crash from outside shook the building.

"We haven't got time to argue," Pete said briskly "the plans works, we go in. You too. All of us."

"No, I'm not leaving him!" Rose said angrily.

"I'm not going without her." Jackie said, she would have fought for Hermione too. But she didn't want her niece to die slowly in this different world.

"Oh, my God. We're going." Pete demanded.

"I've had twenty years without you, so button it. I'm not leaving her."

Rose turned to her mum "You've got to."

"Well, that's tough!"

"Mum..."

"_Reboot in one minute."_

"I've had a life with you for nineteen years." Rose told her, her voice trembling and tears in her eyes "But then I met the Doctor and...All the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us. For the whole...stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum." Behind her, the Doctor was watching her in sadness as he silently took a button on a chain out of his pocket. "But not anymore." Rose backed away from Jackie and towards the Doctor "'Cos now he's got me." The Doctor looped the chain around Rose's neck. "What're you...?"

Pete quickly pressed the button and they all disappeared, leaving the Doctor and Hermione alone. Hermione pulled the Doctor towards her and hugged him tightly before she kissed his cheek and led him to the computer silently.

oOo

A few minutes had passed and Hermione was watching the Doctor work on the computer. She had sent Kingsley a message saying that the aliens would be removed shortly and to just hold them back as long as they could.

Rose suddenly reappeared. "I think this is the on switch..." Rose mumbled looking round.

The Doctor stepped forward and grabbed Rose roughly by the shoulders, stooping slightly so he can look straight into her eyes. "Once the breach collapses, that's it." he said trying to drum some sense into her "You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!"

"I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you." Rose said with a trembling voice, hurt that he wasn't pleased that she had come back to him, chosen him. The Doctor just stared at her for a moment, stunned at her decision, he knew if he had a choice he'd pick his family. He then released his grip and stepped back. "So what can I do to help?" she asked.

"_Systems rebooted. Open access."_

Rose stubbornly held the Doctor's gaze and he finally gave in.

The Doctor pointed to a computer "Those co-ordinates over there, set them all at six." Rose did as she was told. He watches her walk to the computer. "And hurry up." He snapped. Rose leaned over the computer, taking her button from around her neck and glanced at the Doctor nervously as he moved back to Hermione.

Hermione watched Rose before she turned to look at the Doctor. _'We should tell her about us now.'_ Hermione told him _'If she doesn't take it well she might want to return to Aunt Jackie.'_

'_You're right.'_ He nodded _'it wouldn't be fair for her to find out after her way to Jackie is closed.'_

The Doctor turned to talk to Rose but she cut across him "We've got Cybermen on the way up." Rose told him, thinking he was about to try and convince her to leave.

The Doctor ran to look "How many floors down?" he asked.

"Just one." she said showing him the screen that showed the Cybermen marching up the stairwell.

The Doctor ran back to his computer and tapped in a command on the laptop.

"_Levers operational."_

The Doctor grinned.

"That's more like it, bit of a smile!" Rose smiled delighted "The old team...!" His smile faded and he opened his mouth to give Rose one more chance to leave. "Come on, then." Rose called knowing he was about to tell her to leave once again and she wasn't going to let that happen. They belonged together. "Let's do this!" she walked away into the middle of the room.

The Doctor glanced at Hermione who shrugged as she walked up to him. "When she finds out, it will be her own fault. She didn't want to hear the chance she got."

The Doctor sighed before he grabbed the magnaclamp and went over and handed one to Rose. He then strode over to one lever and Rose copied him, they both pressed the clamps on the walls "Press the red button." Rose did so as Hermione walked over to the Doctor. "When it starts, just hold on tight." He spoke quickly "Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void Stuff. Are you ready?"

They got into their positions beside the levers as Hermione wrapped her hands around the handle of the clamp.

Rose stared out the window "So are they."

The Daleks appeared at the window.

"Let's do it!" They pushed the levers upwards and then hurriedly took hold of the clamps, the Doctor wrapping and linking his fingers with Hermione. _'Hold on tight.'_ He whispered to her as he kissed her temple.

"_Online."_ The computer stated.

The area was filled a white light and the sound of a strong wind. The Daleks and Cybermen started to be sucked through the window, smashing through the glass as they are pulled into the white light and back to the Void. The Doctor, Hermione and Rose held on to the clamps tightly, struggling to hold on.

"The breach is open! Into the Void! Ha!" the Doctor shouted over the wind as Hermione and Rose smiled at the Doctor.

Suddenly, there was a small explosion of sparks and the lever on Rose's side moved back into the off position. Their smiles faded from their faces.

"_Offline."_

"Turn it on!" the Doctor shouted as the suction started to ease.

Rose reached for the lever whilst trying to maintain her grip on the clamp, but it was just slightly too far away. She strained to reach it, eventually falling onto it. The Doctor and Hermione watched, full of dread.

Rose whimpered as she struggled to push the lever up. "I've gotta get it upright!" Rose pushed the lever upwards, groaning with the effort. Finally, she managed to push the lever upright.

"_Online and locked."_

The suction increased once more. But now, Rose had nothing to hold on to but the lever.

"Rose, hold on!" the Doctor shouted in desperation.

But the Void just pulled at her, making it near impossible for her to keep her grip. She winced and cried out with the effort.

"Hold on!" Hermione shouted trying to pull her hand off the clamp to reach for her wand to send a sticking charm to Rose's hands, but the Doctor wouldn't allow her to remove her hand.

Rose moaned as her strength was almost spent, the Doctor and Hermione stared at her in absolute terror, horribly powerless. With one last cry, Rose's grip finally slipped and she was pulled towards the Void, crying out. The Doctor and Hermione screamed her name as she was pulled farther away from them.

Pete appeared at the moment before she reached the breach and she fell into his arms. Rose only had time to glance over her shoulder at the Doctor before she and Pete vanished. The Doctor and Hermione stared at the place where they had disappeared, breathing very heavily. The breach closed itself and the wind died down, leaving the place silent.

The Doctor slowly walked up to the wall on his side and laid one palm flat against it, and then rested his head there. The Doctor finally let his hand slide down the wall and he turned from the wall.

He walked towards Hermione who wrapped her arms around him. Both had tears rolling down their faces as he wrapped his arms around her. The Doctor for the loss of the human who was like his sister and Hermione for the family she would never see again.

oOo

Rose stood in the middle of a beach, waiting. A short way to her left, the Doctor faded out of thin air. Rose turned to him to see he was slightly translucent.

"Where are you?" Rose asked him.

"Inside the TARDIS." He replied his voice sounding distant "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit around a super nova." He laughed softly "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

Rose's heart swelled at that before she shook her head "You look like a ghost."

"Hold on..." He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and pointed it somehow strengthening his projection. The Doctor now looked as solid as if he were really there. Rose walked over to him and raised a hand to touch his face.

"Can I t...?" she asked.

"I'm still just an image." He said regretfully "No touch."

"Can't you come through properly?" Rose asked her voice trembling.

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse."

"So?" she half joked making him smile.

They watch each other for a few moments before the Doctor looked around at their surroundings. "Where are we? Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway."

"Norway. Right."

"About fifty miles out of Bergen. It's called "Darlig Ulv Stranden"."

"Dalek?" the Doctor asked surprised.

"Darl-IG. It's Norwegian for 'bad'." The Doctor continued to stare at her, brow furrowed. "This translates as 'Bad Wolf Bay'". They laughed at the irony of this, but sobered almost immediately. "How long have we got?" her voice cracked.

"About two minutes..." he breathed.

"I can't think of what to say!" she laughed at the absurdity of it.

The Doctor laughing too, he glanced over at where Jackie, Pete, Parallel Hermione and Mickey were waiting by the Jeep. "You've still got Mr. Mickey, then?" he asked.

"There's six of us now. Mum, dad, Hermione, Mickey...and the baby."

"You're not...?" he asked taken aback.

"No." she laughed "Its mum. She's three months gone. More Tyler's on the way."

"And what about you? Are you...?"

"Yeah, I'm...I'm back working in the shop."

The Doctor nodded "Oh, good for you."

Rose laughed and for a moment it was just like old times. "Shut up. No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet, it's open for business." She teared up again "I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

"Rose Tyler. Defender of the Earth." He said proudly. "You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead." Rose began to cry quietly. "Here you are." He smiled "Living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

"Am I ever gonna see you again?" she sobbed.

"You can't." he replied quietly.

"What're you gonna do?"

"Oh, I've got the TARDIS. Same old life. Last of the Time Lords."

"On your own?"

"Oh, no! I've got Hermione." He smiled and looked off to one side as if he was staring at someone.

Rose surveyed him, hopelessly heartbroken, tears falling thick and fast. "I lo..." She choked with tears before she could finish her sentence. She took a moment to regain her composure, and then "I love you." Another shuddering sob escaped her.

The Doctor gazed at her with heart-rending tenderness and devotion. He knew he should tell her about him and Hermione but he just couldn't break her more so he smiled softly. "Quite right, too." Rose nodded, smiling at him through her tears. This was it, he was going to tell her the same thing. Her hearts lifted slightly that she had got this and Hermione wouldn't. "And I suppose..." the Doctor gazed at her "if it's one last chance to say it..." He paused a moment, eyes locked with hers. "Rose Tyler..." But their time was up and he faded away into nothingness. Rose was left alone.

She screwed up her face against the pain, sobbing into her hands.

oOo

The Doctor rubbed his hands over his eyes, wiping the tears away taking a deep breath and then turns his attention to the TARDIS console, pushing the buttons and levers as he walks slowly around it without any of his former enthusiasm. Hermione walked over to him and smiled sadly and placed her hand gently on his arm.

The Doctor suddenly looked up, eyes wide with shock making Hermione look the same way. Standing by the door, with her back to them was a bride.

"What?" he said aghast as the bride turned around to see them standing there. She yelped with surprise. "What?!" he said confused.

"Who are you?" the Bride asked disdainfully.

The Doctor looked round dumbfounded as Hermione stared shocked and curious at the woman "But..."

"Where am I?" she demanded.

"What?!"

"What the hell is this place?" she yelled.

"What?!"


End file.
